Ibrahima Konate has wrested his starting place back for Liverpool and this season will be crucial in shaping his future at the club

Ibrahima Konate points the way for Liverpool alongside Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai during the 3-0 Premier League win at Manchester United on Sunday(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)

Sometimes it doesn't take much for a career to take an unexpected turn.

Ibrahima Konate has discovered that during a rollercoaster year for both club and country.

And the centre-back has also underlined the power of being the player in possession of the jersey after another indomitable showing in helping Liverpool secure a memorable 3-0 win at Manchester United on Sunday to extend their perfect start to life under new head coach Arne Slot.

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Yet barely a fortnight earlier, it had all seemed hugely unlikely with Konate beginning the campaign on the bench, continuing a pattern that had started in early February.

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Back then, Konate, having been the recipient of a harsh yellow card in the first half at Arsenal, was given another late on and subsequent red in Liverpool's 3-1 defeat, ruling him out of the next game against Burnley.

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Quansah again impressed in a 1-1 draw, and the tide was slowly turning.

While Konate was out for less than three weeks, he failed to recover full sharpness and form and his confidence was hampered in the process.

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With Quansah continuing to prove himself, Konate made just three more Premier League starts, the last of which saw him dragged off for his fellow centre-back after just over an hour of the 2-0 Goodison derby defeat to Everton in which he was overpowered by Dominic Calvert-Lewin and made a mistake for the first goal.

Konate didn't play another minute for Liverpool last season.

And despite featuring in both of France's warm-up friendlies for the European Championship, fitness worries meant he was left on the sidelines throughout his country's run to the semi-finals at the tournament.

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A new manager at Liverpool, with Slot replacing Klopp, appeared to have made no difference to the status quo with Konate benched for the Premier League opener at Ipswich Town and Quansah starting alongside Virgil van Dijk.

But a couple of minor missteps from Quansah before half-time, including one loss of a duel with cumbersome Ipswich forward Liam Delap, was all it took for Slot to ruthlessly hook the England Under-21 international and throw on Konate for the second half.

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The Reds subsequently upped the aggression and, with Konate's decisiveness setting the tone, earned a 2-0 triumph.

The Frenchman has played every minute since and, on his only two appearances at Old Trafford for Liverpool, now has a brace of wins with an 8-0 aggregate scoreline.

Throw in a 7-0 and 0-0 at Anfield, and he has yet to concede against United for his current club.

Konate will hope his form leads to minutes for France as they prepare for their glamour UEFA Nations League double header against Italy at home on Friday and Belgium on Monday.

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"I think a lot of people forgot what I did last season and in the games before," said Konate last month.

"Now I have to show that I am ready this season to be the best and I hope to be one of the best defenders in the world this season."

Now 25, the former RB Leipzig man is still reasonably young for a centre-back - Van Dijk, for example, is 33 and still going strong - but after three seasons at Liverpool and approaching his 100th appearance for the club, this has to be the campaign in which Konate demonstrates he can be the heir to the Dutchman's crown.

Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool showing his appreciation to the fans at the end of the Premier League match at Ipswich Town on August 17 2024(Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

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And given Konate will enter the last 12 months of his contract next summer, it would represent timely evidence he is deserving of the offer of a new, improved contract.

Imminent rotation means every centre-back - Joe Gomez has yet to feature - will be given a chance over the next month.
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