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Former Liverpool players Steve Nicol and Michael Owen have both criticized Ibrahima Konate following his display in the Reds' 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace.
The French international had a particularly challenging first half at Selhurst Park, continuing his uneven start to the season. The central defender's contract is set to expire at the end of the term, leaving his future at Anfield uncertain.
Real Madrid is reportedly among the clubs interested in signing the 26-year-old if he doesn't renew his contract with Liverpool. In the midst of ongoing transfer rumors, Konate has had an inconsistent start to the season. While he shone in victories against teams like Arsenal and Everton, he has also delivered some shaky defensive performances.
This trend continued in the Reds' loss to Crystal Palace, where he struggled against Eagles striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Despite Federico Chiesa scoring an 87th-minute equalizer, Arne Slot's team suffered a 2-1 defeat against Palace. Eddie Nketiah scored a 97th-minute winner for the home side, marking a disappointing day in the capital for the reigning Premier League champion.
Nicol, who won four league titles, the European Cup, and three FA Cups during his time at Liverpool, was unimpressed by his former club's performance at Selhurst Park. Criticizing Liverpool's defensive efforts, he pinpointed Konate as a key issue.
"It would be really harsh to pull one person out, but I think the man that was at the start of it was Konate," he said on ESPN. "He had an absolutely, unbelievably horrendous first half.
"He couldn't pass the ball properly, he kept giving fouls away, he got booked, he's trying to fight Mateta. I know Konate's a big lad, but Mateta's bigger than him, and you've got to use your brains.
"Unfortunately, today Konate didn't use any brains whatsoever. So, he kicked it off, and it almost kind of spread like a disease after that. Everybody giving the ball away.
"And when you give a ball away against Crystal Palace, it is really the thing they do best. They exploit mistakes from the opposition, and then they get at you quickly going forward.
"Only some poor finishing, particularly from Mateta, is the reason that Liverpool were still in this game at all."
Nicol continued: "The truth of the matter is that all of the things Liverpool didn't do well today are the same things they haven't done well all season... Liverpool's backline just doesn't look composed at all.
"Yes, you would hope the midfield can stop the opposition getting at the backline as often as it does. But at the end of the day, the backline is there to do the job, and right now it doesn't look comfortable anytime it is asked to defend - whether it is today or the previous games.
"Liverpool might be sitting top of the league still, but Arne Slot still has a lot of questions that need answering that he hasn't quite found the answer to yet."
Nicol wasn't the only ex-Liverpool player expressing concern over Konate's performance, with Owen also criticizing his first-half display, noting it wasn't a one-off subpar performance.
"I don't know whether it was tiredness, but they rested a fair few players in midweek in the Carabao Cup," he said. "They weren't their usual selves. We are early in the season, I'd be hesitant to blame it on [tiredness].
"I mean, Konate in the first half didn't know what he was doing. I can't say that it was because of rustiness or tiredness. We've seen one or two performances like that from him this season that have been quite similar.
"I wouldn't use that excuse, I would give praise to Crystal Palace, they're a proper team. They've beaten Liverpool in the Community Shield, it wasn't a fluke. I'd be more inclined to say Palace played very well."
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