Liverpool returned to winning ways at Anfield on Saturday night, as they came from a goal down to beat Newcastle United 4-1. And while several players impressed for the Reds, one player responded to recent critics with an excellent display.
Having lost their last Premier League outing against Bournemouth, Arne Slot’s side went behind once again thanks to an Anthony Gordon effort. But it didn’t take long for Liverpool to turn things around, as Hugo Ekitike grabbed a quickfire brace to put the hosts in front at half-time.
While Newcastle pushed in search of an equaliser, Liverpool dominated for large portions of the second half, fashioning several chances before Florian Wirtz swept home Mohamed Salah’s cutback to put the game out of sight. There was then time for Ibrahima Konate to grab a fourth to cap off a wonderful evening for the Merseysiders.
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Liverpool Star Silences Doubters Against Newcastle
Liverpool were indebted to their new signing Ekitike for Saturday’s result, as the Frenchman grabbed his ninth and tenth goals of the Premier League season. But there were plenty of positive performances across the board from a number of players in the squad.
One man who deserves praise in particular, though, is Konate. The French international has had his fair share of critics over the course of this season, with many supporters believing that his performance levels have dropped significantly.
However, there was none of that against Newcastle, as the French international dominated on the night to keep Gordon, Harvey Barnes and Anthony Elanga quiet for the majority of the evening. Dribbled past on a singular occasion, he made 14 defensive contributions on the night, making 10 clearances and an interception too.
Also winning two of his three tackles on the night, his dominant performance alongside Virgil van Dijk formed the bedrock for Liverpool’s result. He even managed to grab the fourth goal of the evening in added time.
Konate was overcome by tears when he found the back of the net, as the 26-year-old was playing his first game since confirming the tragic passing of his father. Despite what he must have been feeling, he kept his mind focused on the task at hand, silencing past critics with a fantastic display.
Check Out Konate’s Statistics Against Newcastle:
|
Ibrahima Konate’s Statistics vs Newcastle United |
|
|---|---|
|
Minutes |
90 |
|
Goals |
1 |
|
Passing Accuracy |
34/39 (87%) |
|
Defensive Contributions |
14 |
|
Tackles (Won) |
3 (2) |
|
Interceptions |
1 |
|
Clearances |
10 |
|
Recoveries |
4 |
|
Ground Duels (Won) |
5 (3) |
|
Aerial Duels (Won) |
1 (1) |
Supporters Sing Konate’s Praises After Liverpool 4-1 Newcastle
Many Liverpool supporters have chosen to praise a number of players for their efforts against Newcastle, and Konate where they unanimously agree he was a standout individual. One fan wrote on social media: “Konate has been excellent today.”
Another believes that this could be a sign of things to come, saying: “Konate is so back man.” And one more added: “Best I’ve seen Konate play this season.”
A fellow Liverpool fan stated: “We’ve all criticised Konate this season but I hope he gets his flowers tonight because he has been absolutely superb.”
Many also chose to praise him for playing, despite him still likely dealing with all the emotions of losing his father. One said: “Konate, to give us this performance after what you’ve been through in the last couple of days, I salute you.”
And a final supporter said: “Credit to Konate has having a solid game out there considering how he must be feeling.”
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