Konate answers question
Who partners Virgil van Dijk at the heart of defence has become an intriguing subplot in Liverpool’s season.
Joel Matip was the man in possession before injury, Joe Gomez has veered from the sublime to the unsettling and Nat Phillips – who could reappear in the Carabao Cup in midweek – had a brief flirtation earlier in the campaign.
Ibrahima Konate, though, is considered by many the long-term answer, his injury struggles during the early months preventing him from maintaining the momentum of his fine ending to last term.
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And here, on his first Premier League start of the campaign, the France international justified that belief by building on his midweek performance against Napoli in impressive fashion, not least during a second half in which Tottenham Hotspur threw everything at the Liverpool defence.
Konate made twice as many clearances as any other Liverpool player (eight) and won possession back 11 times, the highest total among the visiting side. As matters became fraught during the closing quarter, Konate regularly got his head, leg or other body parts in the way. He epitomised Liverpool’s resilience.
There were some wobbles – indeed, no Reds player gave the ball away more often – but at 23 Konate is still raw material. What’s becoming clear, though, is he is the future.
Robertson sets the tone
The last time Andy Robertson featured at Tottenham Hotspur, he was compelled to apologise for his contribution. Here, though, it was the hosts who were left in a sorry state as the Liverpool left-back continued his outstanding recent form.
Robertson – sent off in the 2-2 draw here last December – was integral in setting the tone for a strong start from a Reds side too often slow out of the blocks this season. Bustling with intent, the left-back created an opportunity for Darwin Nunez, and then fed the same player again shortly afterwards to lay on the opener.
While regular thrusts forward during the first half put Emerson Royal on the backfoot and largely negated the threat from the Tottenham wing-back, after the break saw a greater examination of Robertson’s defensive capabilities.
And while Harry Kane’s strike originated from his flank, the Scotland international coped well despite occasionally being left with two opponents to mark as Tottenham looked to overload the flanks. Indeed, towards the end, a few powerful thrusts out of defence relieved some of the pressure momentarily on the Reds backline.
With Kostas Tsimikas having been involved in both goals against Napoli in midweek, both left-backs are keeping each other on their toes. To think this was once Liverpool’s infamous problem position.
Salah critics looking stupid
Those people who questioned Mohamed Salah must feel rather stupid right now.
The Egyptian found himself under scrutiny earlier in the season when just four goals in 10 games saw aspersions cast over his commitment after finally agreeing a bumper new contract in the summer.
Such suggestions were always ludicrously misinformed, completely ignoring the absolute dedication Salah has shown throughout his Liverpool career to improve himself and, by association, the team.
True, he hasn’t always been helped this season by the mixing and matching both in midfield and attack with Klopp’s pursuit of a new-look forward line hampered by injuries and alarming individual losses of form.
But Salah’s superb double – the first an opportunist snapshot, the second demonstrating composure to capitalise on Eric Dier’s undercooked backheader and race clear – has now taken him on to 10 goals in his last 10 outings, 14 for the season
Again on the right flank, Salah was Liverpool’s stellar performer, his attitude in tracking back later praised by Klopp. The Egyptian King isn’t back – he didn’t go anywhere.
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