Ibrahima Konate will have a very tough 90 minutes ahead.
The Reds are at home for their first game of 2026, welcoming an in-form Leeds United who caused them big problems less than a month ago.
Liverpool have certainly been picking up good results as of late, but performances have not been the best, with changes needing to be made.
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Konate, however, is one that will definitely be starting, with the Reds really short of options at the back.
The Frenchman will also be instructed to be extremely careful during this one, as if not, he could really cost his team going forward.
Ibrahima Konate is one yellow card away from suspension
Liverpool have just Virgil van Dijk and Konate as options at centre-back due to injuries, with Joe Gomez likely not quite fit enough in time.
However, the Frenchman has picked up four yellow cards this season in the league, meaning that one more and he will be suspended, leaving just van Dijk as an option.
After 19 games, though, which would be against Leeds in Liverpool’s case, the number of yellows for a ban resets, meaning that he would only need to survive this game to avoid being banned.
If he does not manage this, though, then Gomez might need to be rushed back, with the Englishman set to be available for their game after against Fulham, but only just.
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If he cannot play, then Ryan Gravenberch will likely have to move back into defence, something that will cause a big problem for the balance of the team.
Ibrahima Konate will get booked against Leeds
Although many will think that he can survive a game without a yellow, doing this against Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be near impossible at this moment in time.
The Englishman is on fire after scoring six in his last five games, with his physical style of play exactly what Liverpool and Konate struggle with.
He will try and make the game ugly and target Konate as the weak link, with the Frenchman needing to be dominant in the air if he is to stand a chance.
Picking up a yellow, though, might have to be done to even come close to stopping him right now, meaning Slot might already want to prepare for that possibility.
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