LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 17: Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Liverpool FC and Atletico de Madrid at Anfield on September 17, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
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Crystal Palace exposed some of the vulnerabilities that Liverpool had demonstrated at other points of this season. Ibrahima Konate was one of those vulnerabilities with the French defender all over the place as the defending Premier League champions suffered its first defeat of the 2025/26 campaign.
While Konate forged a strong understanding with Virgil van Dijk as Liverpool strolled to the Premier League title last term, the 26-year-old has regressed since the summer. He has struggled in moments of defensive transition and Palace’s lightning quick and physical frontline made the most of that at Selhurst Park.
Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta (left) and Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate (right) battle for the ball during the Premier League match at Selhurst Park, London. Picture date: Saturday September 27, 2025. (Photo by Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images)
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Jean-Philippe Mateta had the beating of Konate over the course of the 90 minutes. Others including Ismaila Sarr and Yeremy Pino also tested the Liverpool centre back by driving directly at him with speed. Oliver Glasner clearly instructed his Crystal Palace players to target Konate, and other teams have had similar joy against the Frenchman this season.
Had the summer transfer window gone a little differently, Arne Slot could have swapped out Konate for Marc Guehi. Liverpool was close to completing a deal for the England international only for the transfer to fall through on deadline day. Guehi stayed at Palace and Slot likely rues that fact.
Giovanni Leoni arrived from Parma as a depth option in central defence only for the youngster to suffer a season-ending injury on his Liverpool debut. This is another thing that has limited the options available to Slot at the back. Konate is playing because he has to. Liverpool doesn’t have another choice.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 23: Giovanni Leoni of Liverpool receives treatment for an injury during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Liverpool and Southampton at Anfield on September 23, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
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Nobody doubts Konate’s talent. His physical attributes are clear to see with the Frenchman also improving in a technical sense over the course of his three seasons at Liverpool. Konate has been strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid, highlighting the esteem he is held in by some of the biggest clubs in the world.
Konate’s current contract is set to expire in 2026 and Liverpool is reportedly keen to tie down the defender to new terms. The 26-year-old is a high-value asset, but he isn’t showing that at the moment. Far from being an asset, Konate has been a problem for Liverpool, one that Slot must find a way to address.
There’s no reason for Liverpool to panic after suffering defeat to Crystal Palace. Slot’s team is still top of the Premier League table and favourites to claim another title as Arsenal and Manchester City trip over one another. Nonetheless, the Reds mustn’t be complacent about its current position.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/grahamruthven/2025/09/30/how-big-a-problem-is-ibrahima-konates-form-for-liverpool/
