Ibrahima Konate has offered Liverpool a major boost ahead of the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle on Sunday, as he was involved in training on Friday.
This has eased many fans who feared for the defender’s fitness and doubts over his participation in the final.
The French defender had been forced to hobble off the pitch in Liverpool’s midweek clash against PSG. This left many fans wondering if he had sustained an injury.
However, manager Arne Slot had been optimistic that it was just a case of fatigue. Moreover, Konate’s return to training suggests that he could be in line to feature in the final at Wembley.
Konate returns to Liverpool training
Konate was spotted training alongside his teammates at Liverpool’s AXA training centre, an encouraging sign for both the player and the team. The team’s Twitter handle posted ahead of the final tomorrow.
The fact that the centre-back participated in Friday’s session strengthens the likelihood that he will be available for selection to partner Virgil van Dijk in the heart of Liverpool’s defense for the final.
While it’s likely that his workload during training was carefully managed to avoid overexertion, his involvement is still seen as a huge boost. With key defensive players like Joe Gomez, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Conor Bradley all sidelined due to injury, Konate’s recovery is a welcome relief for manager Jürgen Klopp and the squad.
Trent to miss out on the cup final
In contrast, Trent Alexander-Arnold will miss Sunday’s final due to injury. This marks the second consecutive season that the Liverpool full-back has been unable to play in a major final due to fitness issues.
Despite his absence from the final, there is optimism that Alexander-Arnold will recover in time to feature before the season concludes.
His loss will be felt, but Liverpool fans will be hoping that Konate’s return will help shore up the defense as they aim for success at Wembley.
Also read: Liverpool’s Wembley crisis: will injuries derail their EFL Cup dream
Sai Akshay
I'm a football enthusiast and an avid writer and someone who lives by the Bill Shankly quote, on a day to day basis.