Liverpool teammates support Konaté following the passing of his father.
LIVERPOOL — Arne Slot has praised the professionalism of defender Ibrahima Konaté following his goal for Liverpool upon his return to the squad after the passing of his father.
Konaté scored the Reds’ fourth goal in their 4-1 victory over Newcastle United on Saturday, having just returned from compassionate leave earlier in the week.
“He faced a very challenging two weeks and is likely still going through a tough time,” Slot remarked. “We had a conversation at the end of last week when he mentioned he intended to return by the end of this week, which would have meant he couldn’t participate in this match. However, when he recognized the defensive issues we were experiencing, he contacted me early this week and expressed: ‘I want to be back to assist the team against Newcastle.’
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“He returned on Wednesday and trained with us twice. Today, not only did he score a goal, but he also delivered an excellent performance, and the fans showed their appreciation throughout the match, especially at the end when he scored. His teammates were equally appreciative when he entered the dressing room after the final whistle.
“He and Florian [Wirtz] participated in an interview after the match, so we were all waiting for the last two to arrive, and when he came in, everyone cheered for both of them, but especially for Ibou.
“It is wonderful for him to score a goal during such a challenging time, and I believe this team has demonstrated that we are always there for one another in tough situations — which is what he faced in recent days. That’s why they were so pleased that he managed to score, which I was informed is his first [league] goal at Anfield since joining.”
Slot also expressed admiration for striker Hugo Ekitike, who netted twice in the first half after Anthony Gordon had initially put Newcastle ahead.
“From the outset, it is evident how special and quick he is; we witnessed this with the second goal he scored,” the Liverpool manager stated. “He took on a one-on-one and went around the outside, which is quite challenging as players typically go inside to take a shot. I would like to highlight that he hasn’t improved significantly on the ball because he was exceptional from the beginning; his most notable enhancement is his work-rate off the ball.”
