November 28, (THEWILL) – Liverpool face potential defensive challenges ahead of their crucial English Premier League match against Manchester City this weekend. Manager Arne Slot is monitoring the fitness of central defender, Ibrahima Konate and right-back, Conor Bradley, following their UEFA Champions League victory against Real Madrid on Wednesday evening.
Konate, a key player in Liverpool’s impressive defensive performance this season, appeared to have sustained a knee injury during the match. The France international has been instrumental in the team’s defensive record, with Liverpool conceding only eight goals in 12 EPL games. His potential absence could significantly impact the team’s tactical approach.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Slot expressed uncertainty about the players’ conditions. “Conor, I had to take him off and Ibou didn’t walk off the pitch as he should have after such a fantastic game that he played,” the manager stated. Bradley, who received praise for his performance against Kylian Mbappe, seemed to be struggling with a hamstring issue.
Despite these injury concerns, Liverpool continue to demonstrate remarkable form under Slot’s leadership. The team has achieved an outstanding record of 15 wins from 17 matches across all competitions. This success has been maintained even with previous injuries to key players including first-choice goalkeeper Alisson, Diogo Jota, Konstantinos Tsimikas, and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Alexander-Arnold’s return provides a positive note for the Liverpool squad, offering potential relief to the team’s defensive lineup. The Anfield medical team will be working diligently to assess and potentially rehabilitate Konate and Bradley before Sunday’s high-stakes encounter.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
