Liverpool have been dealt a sizable injury blow ahead of their Premier League showdown against Manchester City, with Ibrahima Konate facing a spell on the sidelines.
The French defender limped off with an apparent knee problem at the end of Wednesday night’s memorable 2-0 Champions League victory over holders Real Madrid at Anfield following a battle with Brazilian sensation Endrick.
The injuries to Konate and Conor Bradley were the only low points on an otherwise terrific night for the Reds, with the latter picking up a hamstring issue late on Merseyside and replaced by Joe Gomez having otherwise enjoyed a brilliant game deputising for Trent Alexander-Arnold, dealing with the threat of Kylian Mbappe with aplomb and producing one huge tackle on the French superstar.
Manager Arne Slot said at Thursday’s pre-City press conference that both players were still being assessed, but did not strike an optimistic tone on either.
He said: “It is difficult to see where they are. It is never a good sign. Conor had to be taken off and Ibou [Konate] didn’t walk off the pitch as he should. We have to wait and see.”
Reports suggest that Bradley could be sidelined for around four weeks, while others have claimed that Konate may be facing approximately five to six weeks out of action.
Konate took to social media on Friday afternoon to offer an update to Liverpool fans, writing on Instagram: “So frustrating to pick up this injury right at the end of a great game on Wednesday night.
“Now we start the recovery process but one thing I promise is I will come back and be the best I can be once again. Thank you for the amazing support at Anfield. Inshallah we will keep going and I will support the team every step of the way.”
Such setbacks come before early leaders Liverpool are due to host second-place City at Anfield, where a win would take Slot’s men 11 points clear of Pep Guardiola’s crisis-stricken defending champions at the top-flight summit.
Konate has been a near ever-present for the Reds this season in partnership with captain Virgil van Dijk, starting all but one Premier League match and all five of their games so far in the new-look Champions League.
In the only league game to date that Konate did not start - against newly-promoted Ipswich on opening weekend - he was brought on at half-time for a struggling Jarell Quansah.
It will be either Quansah or Gomez who fills in at centre-back against City with Konate absent, with the pair having played together in the Carabao Cup this season when Van Dijk was also rested.
The loss of Bradley - who helped set up Alexis Mac Allister’s opening goal on Wednesday - is mitigated by Trent Alexander-Arnold’s return to full fitness following a hamstring issue suffered before the recent international break.
The England defender returned to the squad against Madrid but was an unused substitute, with Slot since confirming that he is ready to start against City.
Liverpool will remain without first-choice goalkeeper Alisson this weekend as Caoimhin Kelleher deputises again after an impressive outing against Madrid in which he saved a second-half Mbappe penalty, while Diogo Jota, Federico Chiesa and Kostas Tsimikas are also out through injury or lack of full fitness.
