'Very good': £35m Liverpool player continues to improve as national media praise 'valuable' display last night
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net.
It has been a difficult start to the season for Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate, who has drawn strong criticism for his performance so far.
Konate comes into the season with a cloud surrounding his future, with his current contract at Anfield set to expire in less than 12 month’s time.
And this uncertainty appears to have been affecting the centre-back in the early weeks of the campaign.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has been critical of Konate, suggesting that the Frenchman is not good enough to lead the back line if and when Virgil van Dijk is absent.
However, Konate was better against Arsenal on Sunday, nullifying the threat posed by Viktor Gyokeres and looking much more like the player who excelled on the way to winning the Premier League last term.
And, happily, the 26-year-old’s good form appears to have continued during a 90-minute display in France’s 2-0 win over Ukraine on Friday.
Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Konate has not always been a regular for France over recent years.
Didier Deschamps has plenty of top-quality options to choose from.
But after William Saliba was taken off injured at Anfield on Sunday, the door opened for Konate to play alongside Dayot Upamecano against Ukraine.
MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES
READ MORE: Sweden manager says whether injury stopped him bringing Liverpool superstar Alexander Isak on vs Slovenia
And according to French outlet Foot Mercato, it was an impressive performance from the Liverpool No.
5.
A criticism of Konate recently is that he has been too easy to beat in headed duels.
But on this occasion he is said to have been ‘very good in the air’ up against Roma striker Artem Dovbyk.
Konate was reportedly ‘very serious’ and ‘solid’ throughout the game, with one important goal-line clearance noted.
The defender earned himself a seven out of ten rating.
RMC Sport went one number lower, giving Konate a six out of ten, but they still appear to have been impressed, hailing the former RB Leipzig man for ‘some valuable bursts’ and also pick out his goal saving intervention as a ‘very valuable headed save.’
As well as a good night at the office for Konate, Friday’s Ukraine vs France match-up was also notable for a debut for Hugo Ekitike.
Ekitike has started the season brilliantly for Liverpool and was well rewarded with a call-up to the national team after injury forced Deschamps to rethink.
View this post on Instagram
The 23-year-old did not have long to impress, having been brought on in the 81st minute as a replacement for the injured Ousmane Dembele.
Neither Foot Mercato nor RMC give Ekitike a rating, with just minutes of the game left to play following his introduction.
But the Liverpool striker did acknowledge a big personal milestone with a celebratory post on Instagram after the game.