Ibrahima Konate has done a fine job for Jurgen Klopp this season and against Manchester United tonight - could be about to step in once again? The defender hasn't always been a regular starter, but his debut campaign at Anfield has been a very solid one so far.
Upon reflection of his usage since moving from RB Leipzig last summer, the 22 year-old has offered specific tactical perks in certain matches. Sometimes he's been selected to give Joel Matip a rest, but he's also been picked because of the opponent on a number of occasions.
It was perhaps no surprise that his Premier League debut came against Crystal Palace. Liverpool had played four times by that stage without Konate playing a single minute, but he was included from the beginning against the Eagles.
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Wilfried Zaha is widely understood to be Palace's biggest threat, and he tends to play on the side of Matip and Trent Alexander-Arnold. The tricky forward is difficult to manage and he regularly gets the better of his opposite number, but Konate prevented that from happening.
The one-on-one ability of the Reds centre-back is impressive given his pace and strength, and it appeared as though for that reason, he was deemed as a better fit to face Zaha than Matip. He sat on the bench for the next three Premier League matches before starting at Old Trafford, which was a big call for Klopp to make at the time. Liverpool had suffered at the hands of United's left side in previous meetings, and that threat had to be catered for.
United have the likes of Paul Pogba, Jadon Sancho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw at their disposal, all of whom favoured the left side of the pitch. It made total sense for Konate to start ahead of Matip, with his skill set proving to be invaluable.
Pep Lijnders - Klopp's assistant - has delivered fulsome praise of Konate in the past. "In terms of physics, he can catch so many players and he's strong in the air," said the Dutchman after the Anfield outfit beat United.
Klopp has also highlighted his strengths. After signing Konate last summer, the boss stated: "His physical attributes are very impressive; he is quick, he is very strong and he is dominant in the air."
With Konate on the field, Liverpool are better equipped to manage unpredictable dribblers who are quicker than most of their peers. The Frenchman is capable of coping without support and this evening - should Klopp select him again after playing the full match against Man City at Wembley - he could be set to prove that once more.
