Jürgen Klopp has already identified a “problem” with the $44 million Liverpool star, and he has fresh proof.
Liverpool defeated Brentford 3-0 in the Premier League on Sunday thanks in large part to a solid effort from defender Joël Matip. They were able to keep a clean sheet for just the fourth time in their previous 12 top-flight games this season, and Matip played a key role.
Although Matip was unfortunate to receive a booking for a perfectly fine tackle on Christian Nørgaard, he produced a crucial sliding block to deny the Norwegian in the second half and started the counter-pressing effort that resulted in Liverpool’s first goal by robbing Yoane Wissa.
Although Jürgen Klopp may not have intended to start the Cameroonian, he was the obvious choice when Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konaté both sustained injuries throughout the week. Following the incident, the manager stated that it’s unclear how severe Konaté’s injury is (via Liverpool’s official website).
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However, according to writer Fabrice Hawkins, the timeframe is just two weeks long. Given that he was forced to withdraw from Didier Deschamps’ team for the forthcoming internationals against France, he could be a greater loss to France than to Liverpool.
Although Jürgen Klopp had not want to start the Cameroonian, he was the obvious choice when Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konaté both sustained injuries throughout the week. According to Liverpool’s official website, the manager stated afterwards that it’s unclear how severe Konaté’s injury is.
Unfortunately, though, Konaté has validated his manager’s assessment with this most recent setback. Speaking to RMC Sport last month (which the French publication posted on Twitter/X), Klopp stated he “loved absolutely everything” about the center-back, but he also acknowledged that his occasional “injury problems” are the sole “problem.”
In fact, even though November has only just arrived, this is Konaté’s second layoff of the year after he was out for the first two games of the season due to the September international break. The Frenchman’s fitness record was spotty when he came to Anfield.
However, in his debut season, he appeared to allay such worries by being available for all but two games. But he would go on to miss 20 of Liverpool’s 52 games in the previous season, or just less than 40%, and his issues have persisted thus far in the current campaign.
This might not pose too much of an immediate issue for Klopp and Liverpool. Matip, who looked well on Sunday, has improved from his struggles in 2022–2023; although Konaté will likely start in Saturday’s crucial match against Manchester City, the former Schalke player has at least won back the trust of the majority of fans.
The long-term effects, then, could be a greater concern. Despite being only 24 years old, Konaté has already made a name for himself as one of the top 10 to 15 center backs in Europe. Liverpool intends to center the back four on him after captain Virgil van Dijk departs for $44 million (£36 million/€41 million).
If someone has injuries frequently throughout his
But if Anfield continues to develop, the team won’t be able to depend on him in this way. The ‘issue’ at hand may not have an apparent solution, but one thing is certain: Konaté will need specialized care to maximize his chances of being healthy from the time of his return to the end of the season.
