Liverpool’s night in the Champions League could hardly have gone better on Tuesday.
A clash with Bayer Leverkusen looked like a difficult one on paper, with Xabi Alonso’s team having lost only twice since the beginning of last season.
But Liverpool emphatically made that three on another raucous evening at Anfield.
It hadn’t always looked like being that way after a first-half in which the German champions dominated the ball. The Reds took control in the second-half, though, swatting Alonso’s Invincibles aside with relative ease.
Heading into the game, one of the question marks over the game had been who would start at centre-back for Liverpool. Ibrahima Konate had been passed fit to play but was perhaps expected to be rested anyway.
However, Konate started, dealing brilliantly with the threat of Victor Boniface. Having been subbed off late on for Jarell Quansah, though, the Frenchman provided an injury update following the final whistle.
Ibrahima Konate provides fitness update
Arne Slot loves to pick Konate. Despite Joe Gomez playing brilliantly when replacing him against Brighton, the Liverpool head coach went with the Frenchman once again.
Given the physical threat of Boniface in particular, you can see why Slot did it. And it really paid off.
By the time Konate came off on 88 minutes, the game had already long since been won by Liverpool.
It was nice to see Quansah get a couple of minutes for his Champions League debut, but given the rarity of changing a centre-back mid-game, it may have led to some slight concerns amongst the fanbase.
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But speaking to LFCTV after the match, Konate confirmed that he was absolutely fine.
“I have a very good strap and the doctor and the physio helped me to recover very well with my hand,” said the 25-year-old.
“I’m fine, I have to play with a strap but I’m okay.”
Who will start against Aston Villa?
We have to admit to being a little surprised that Konate was chosen to play from the start against Leverkusen.
Given how well Gomez did on Saturday, we’d have expected that Slot would see the benefit of resting the slightly fragile Konate.
Nevertheless, the No.5’s issue at the weekend was not muscular and he was completely available to play. Based on the performance Konate subsequently put in, it was the right decision.
And although nervousness may still remain over playing Ibou too many times in quick succession, it now seems virtually certain that he will go again on Saturday against Aston Villa.
Gomez has a right to feel a hard done by, but Konate is first choice and just keeps on proving why.
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