Liverpool all there for…

LIVERPOOL — Arne Slot has praised defender Ibrahima Konaté for his professionalism after he scored for Liverpool upon returning from compassionate leave following the passing of his father.

Konaté contributed the fourth goal in Liverpool’s 4-1 victory against Newcastle United on Saturday, having just rejoined the squad earlier this week.

“He has gone through a very tough two weeks and is likely still facing challenges,” Slot commented. “We spoke last week, and he mentioned wanting to return by the end of this week, which would have ruled him out for this match. However, after seeing our defensive issues, he reached out earlier this week saying, ‘I want to be back to help the team against Newcastle.’

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“He returned on Wednesday and trained with us twice. Not only did he score today, but he also played exceptionally well, earning admiration from fans throughout the match, especially at the end when he scored. His teammates were equally appreciative when he came to the dressing room after the match.

“He and Florian [Wirtz] did an interview after the game, and we were all waiting for the last two to arrive. When he came in, everyone cheered for both, but especially for Ibou. It’s wonderful for him to score under such trying circumstances, and this team has shown we support one another during tough times—that’s what they experienced over the last few days. This made everyone even happier that he managed to score what I’ve been told is his first [league] goal at Anfield since joining.”

Slot also commended striker Hugo Ekitike, who netted twice in the first half after Anthony Gordon initially put Newcastle ahead.

“From the beginning, it’s clear how special and fast he is, and we saw that with his second goal,” the Liverpool manager noted. “He took on a one-on-one and went around the outside, which is very challenging to do—players usually cut inside for a shot. While his skills on the ball have been impressive since day one, his greatest improvement is his work rate off the ball.”