Arne Slot has voiced his anger at Liverpool’s center-back Ibrahim Konaté following the team’s narrow 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday. While Liverpool secured the win, it came with significant concerns regarding the team’s defensive display, particularly Konaté’s performance, which drew heavy criticism afterward.
In his post-match remarks, Slot was blunt about Konaté’s shortcomings. He stated, “I know we won, but his performance was not good at all. He gave them a free goal. That’s not acceptable at this level, especially when we’re fighting for titles. He almost cost us this game, and I’m not happy with that.”
The pivotal moment occurred in the 39th minute when Konaté’s poor clearance allowed Wolves’ Sasa Kalajdzic to capitalize and score, leveling the match despite Liverpool having initially taken the lead with a brilliant goal from Mohamed Salah.
Slot, who has recently taken the helm at Liverpool, expressed visible frustration with Konaté’s lapse in concentration. He remarked, “It was sloppy, it was careless. We were in control, and then one mistake, one moment of hesitation, gave them a way back into the game. Ibrahim knows better than that. We cannot afford mistakes like that when we aim to compete at the top.”
Konaté’s error overshadowed what had otherwise been a solid first half for the 24-year-old Frenchman, introducing a sense of unease among the Anfield crowd. Slot admitted he contemplated substituting Konaté at halftime but chose to maintain a strong defensive lineup due to the match’s tight scoreline. “I thought about taking him off at the break. But we didn’t have much time, and I needed to keep a strong defensive setup on the field. After his mistake, I was ready to make the change immediately. His head wasn’t in the game, and that could have cost us.”
Ultimately, Liverpool secured the win thanks to a second-half goal from summer recruit Dominik Szoboszlai, whose impressive strike eased some tension but did not diminish Slot’s frustration. “I’m glad we got the win, but we can’t just focus on the positive moments. If we want to be successful in the long run, we need to fix the mistakes. I’ll be having a serious conversation with Ibrahim. Right now, his spot in the team is not guaranteed.”
Slot also hinted at possible changes regarding Konaté’s future at the club, stating, “We will assess all players over the international break. If a player is not performing to the standard we expect, they will not stay in the team. And we’ll see what happens with Ibrahim. There could be changes ahead.”
With rising pressure on Konaté, questions about his long-term future at Anfield are surfacing. Having been an integral part of Liverpool’s defense in recent seasons, he now faces increased scrutiny as the club aims for success this season. Slot’s public criticism may prompt further inquiries about his commitment to upholding high standards within the squad.
The depth of Liverpool’s defense will also be scrutinized, with players like Joe Gomez and Joel Matip poised to step in should Slot decide to make changes.
For Konaté, the onus is now on him to demonstrate he can recover from this subpar performance. His position in the team is at stake if his form does not improve, making the upcoming weeks critical for proving his value to the manager and the club’s future plans.
Stay tuned for more updates from Anfield.
