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Micah Richards has admitted Ibrahima Konate’s form is “worrying” him after the Liverpool defender’s poor performance against Crystal Palace.
Konate endured a torrid afternoon during the Reds’ 2-1 defeat at Selhurst Park on Saturday, with the 26-year-old making a number of mistakes that could have played his side into more trouble had Alisson Becker not produced a string of superb saves.
The Frenchman struggled against his compatriot Jean-Philippe Mateta and was left walking a tightrope after picking up a yellow card for clumsily hauling the Palace striker to the floor, with his second-half substitution feeling inevitable before it eventually arrived.
Although he was far from the only Liverpool player to underperform in London, it was the latest in a line of concerning performances from Konate.
The defender struggled in the Reds’ opening few games and came under criticism from Jamie Carragher, among others. Konate had improved in recent outings, in particular against Arsenal, but Saturday’s poor showing has once again raised questions.
“Konate is starting to worry me a little bit,” former Manchester City defender Richards said on the BBC’s Match of the Day.
“Him and Van Dijk have been a good partnership, but his individual errors at this moment in time are just making the backline look a bit nervy.
“You know Liverpool always look good in defence, van Dijk always marshals the backline, but they give Palace too many opportunities for no actual reason, it was just being sloppy, and that is so unlike Liverpool.”
The questions over Konate’s performances come as speculation continues over a move to Real Madrid next summer.
His contract at Anfield is due to expire at the end of the current season, and talks over a new deal have stalled this year, raising the possibility that he could leave as a free agent.
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Recent reports have suggested that the Spanish giant is monitoring Konate’s situation, with Arsenal’s William Saliba seemingly out of the picture as he closes in on a new contract with the Gunners.
Konate has responded to supporters this season amid the backlash over his performances, having replied to one fan account earlier this month: "The problem is some of you forget too quick... only after two games."
Liverpool.com says: Konate needs to be doing his talking on the pitch rather than social media. It’s no good pointing to your past performances when you are playing as poorly as he did against Palace.
If those sorts of displays continue, then the backlash from supporters is only going to grow, especially with no sign of a new contract. It’s up to Konate to change that opinion, and he’s not doing that at the moment.
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