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Ibrahima Konate is eager to prove why he should partner Virgil van Dijk at the heart of defence after helping Liverpool to a 2-0 win over Brentford.
Left out of the starting XI in the season-opener at Ipswich, Konate was introduced at half-time after Jarell Quansah was controversially substituted and the Reds found an extra gear to overcome the Tractor Boys.
Konate was preferred to Quansah against the Bees on Sunday and made several telling interventions, and he also started the lightning breakaway that led to Luis Diaz opening the scoring after 13 minutes.
Mohamed Salah guaranteed all three points in the 70th minute as Liverpool made it two wins from two in the Premier League, claiming a second clean sheet in the process to the delight of Konate.
“I’m happy and I have to show what I like to do because I think a lot of people forgot what I did last season and in the games before,” Konate told www.liverpoolfc.com.
“Now I have to show that I am ready this season to be the best and I hope to be one of the best defenders in the world this season.”
Victory in Arne Slot’s first competitive home match in charge of Liverpool gives the Merseyside outfit plenty of confidence heading into the first acid test of his reign at Manchester United next weekend.
Konate accepts Liverpool are not yet firing on all cylinders under the Dutchman, who replaced Jurgen Klopp in the summer, but he is confident it will not take long for everything to click.
“We have to be ready for the next big game, which is coming very quick,” Konate added.
“We are not very 100 per cent because it’s a new manager, we start new things – but I think this will come very quick and I’m so excited to be 100 per cent with what the manager wants.”
Speculation about the future of Ivan Toney, who has been linked with a switch to Saudi Arabia before the transfer window shuts on Friday, continues to overshadow Brentford’s early season.
While boss Thomas Frank was coy over the situation after his side’s defeat at Anfield, he was more forthcoming about his desire for Brentford to go on a cup run.
In Frank’s time in west London, Brentford have reached the semis and quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, and they start their latest campaign at Colchester on Wednesday.
“It ranks high,” Frank said. “It’s a tournament we have done well in. We really want to go on a cup run. We play three games this week so of course I will use the squad but I will play a strong team.
“I want to progress, with all due respect to Colchester, who I know will do everything they can to win the game.”
