Graeme Souness has questioned whether Ibrahima Konate should be starting for Liverpool, claiming the centre-half is ‘very raw’ and ‘still learning the game’. Liverpool were given a tough game despite taking a 3-0 lead against Tottenham on Sunday afternoon, with Harry Kane and Son Heung-min on target before Richarlison scored his first league goal for the club in added time to level the contest. Diogo Jota then sealed all three points for the hosts, capitalising on a mistake from Lucas Moura to slot home late on. Konate endured a tough second-half, also involved in an incident where Tottenham could have been given a penalty for pulling back Richarlison in the box.
The 23-year-old France international is nearing the end of his second season at the club but Souness has concerns over his role in the team, questioning whether he is a long-term solution at the back. ‘He still looks like he is learning the game, he looks very raw,’ Souness told Sky Sports. ‘I get why they want to push Trent [Alexander-Arnold] there because he is their best kicker of the ball. But I think Konate found life very difficult today. Going forward for Liverpool next year they must be thinking, [Joel] Matip can’t keep himself fit, is he the answer? He’s a young man learning the game, maybe he will be, maybe he won’t.’
Victory for Liverpool moves them into fifth place but they sit seven points behind Manchester United in the race for Champions League qualification having also played a game in hand. Assessing his side’s chances of catching United and Newcastle United in third place, Klopp said: ‘Of course not. If United and Newcastle wins all the games then how can we get there? If they start losing them we are close. Until then we have to win football games to qualify for Europe at all. Brighton played one of the best football games this weekend I’ve ever seen in my life, I have to say, Roberto De Zerbi, wow. They are behind us with two games in hand. Aston Villa are developing. If we can keep them behind us that will already be success.’