January 6th 2025.
On Sunday, Arne Slot made the decision to include Ibrahima Konate in the starting lineup for Liverpool's game against Manchester United. The French defender had been out of action for quite some time due to a knee injury, but was finally fit to play again. It was a pleasant surprise for fans to see him back on the field, especially since the game against the Red Devils was quite busy and intense. Despite Manchester United's impressive performance, the match ended in a 2-2 draw at Anfield.
However, Liverpool's busy schedule does not allow for much rest. They have a crucial game against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday, and Slot knows that Konate may not be ready to play again so soon after returning from injury. When asked why he decided to start Konate against Manchester United, Slot simply stated that it was because he was fit. He also mentioned that if the defender wasn't fit, he wouldn't have been included in the starting lineup and would not have trained with the team. But now that he's back and able to train with the team, it's clear that he is ready to play.
Slot also acknowledged that while Konate may be fit to play 90 minutes, it may be too soon for him to play two games in one week. He understands that it takes time to fully recover from a long injury, and it wouldn't be surprising if Konate doesn't play in the game against Tottenham. However, Slot was impressed with Konate's performance against Manchester United and believes that he is ready to play when needed.
Unfortunately, Liverpool's center-back situation is still a bit uncertain. Joe Gomez is out with a hamstring injury and is not expected to return for a couple of weeks. This puts more pressure on Konate as he continues to regain his fitness. However, Slot is not too worried as he believes Dominik Szoboszlai will not be out for long due to an illness that caused him to miss the game against Manchester United.
With back-to-back cup matches coming up, Liverpool will have a busy week ahead. They face Tottenham on Wednesday and then host Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup on Saturday. But for now, Slot's focus is on their next Premier League game against Nottingham Forest on January 14th. The team will continue to work hard and push forward, despite the challenges they may face along the way.
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