Liverpool claimed a second consecutive win on Tuesday night with a huge 1-0 win over European giants Real Madrid in the Champions League, in a vintage Anfield display.
Arne Slot's men took all three points in a game that looked tighter than it truly was, as Alexis Mac Allister's header just after the hour mark broke the deadlock and was the only goal of the match.
The Reds turned in a performance that saw the team back to their usual selves as they pressed hard and high, were aggressive in midfield, and created a number of chances, only to be thwarted by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois once again in what seemed like a deja vu moment from the 2022 Champions League final in Paris.
But while the attacking players will undoubtedly be the ones getting lots of praise, with Mac Allister earning the man of the match award and Dominik Szoboszlai being labelled a machine, one man whose performance will probably go unnoticed is defender Ibrahima Konate.
The Frenchman has come under major criticism this season for some poor performances, with many Liverpool fans believing that he has already checked out of Anfield mentally, considering his contract with the club is due to expire in the summer and the parties are no nearer to an agreement to extend. However, his performance on Tuesday night proved that couldn't be further from the truth.
Ibrahima Konate Back to his Best
Ibrahima Konate in action for Liverpool
There have been reports stretching back several months that Konate has emerged as a target for Real Madrid in the summer, as they look to repeat the same trick with the 26-year-old that they did with Trent Alexander-Arnold in the last transfer window.
The Spanish giants came to Anfield in sensational form too, with star striker Kylian Mbappe having netted 18 goals in 14 appearances before the game. But then he came up against his international colleague and was totally nullified.
Konate managed two interceptions, three clearances and eight recoveries during his 90 minutes, while he was also dribbled past just once, earning him an 8/10 rating from This is Anfield and a 7/10 rating from GIVEMESPORT. But while those stats may not stand out on paper, when you look at Mbappe's performance on the night, it shows just how effective Konate was.
The former PSG star didn't manage a single shot on target, accumulating just 0.04 expected assists and 0.19 xG in the game. He was completely marked out of the game. It's the type of performance from Konate that proves exactly why Real Madrid are looking to add him to their squad, and why Liverpool are so desperate to keep hold of him.
The forwards and midfielders will get the credit for the big win, but it shouldn't go unnoticed that this was only Liverpool's second clean sheet of the season - and against one of the best attacks in world football - and Konate was a huge reason for it.