'Deserves to be recognised': Liverpool told they have a player who has quietly been 'outstanding' this season
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Liverpool have had a number of players show up as some of the very best performers in the Premier League this season.
After five games, the Reds could hardly have started better. An obvious blip against Nottingham Forest aside, Liverpool have been perfect.
Having picked up four wins and four clean sheets, Arne Slot’s team are sitting pretty in second place.
Naturally, plenty of the Liverpool squad have been lauded as a result. Ryan Gravenberch has really stood out, for example, while Trent Alexander-Arnold has earned plenty of plaudits, too.
But while there have been standouts within the group, what has been most pleasing is how Slot has got his whole team playing together.
The Liverpool head coach and his players should be given immense credit for the way they have hit the ground running. But according to pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor, not all of them are getting the praise they deserve.
Ibrahima Konate going under the radar for Liverpool
Perhaps the most impressive thing about Liverpool this season has been their ability to keep the door shut at the back.
With Alisson Becker in goal and Virgil van Dijk at centre-back, the Reds have always been adept at picking up clean sheets.
However, under Jurgen Klopp last season, the Reds were looking too open way too often. Teams were finding it easy to cut through Liverpool and put the ball in the net.
That has changed this season, with just one goal conceded so far. A big part of that has been Alisson and Van Dijk, of course, but Ibrahima Konate has more than played his part, too.
Konate has looked back to his best so far this campaign, cementing his place as Van Dijk’s preferred partner.
READ MORE: Gary Lineker hails Ibrahima Konate form this season
And speaking to TalkSPORT, Agbonlahor said that the Frenchman deserved more praise than he’s currently getting.
“He didn't start the first game of the season, he was brought on at half time for Quansah and he has been outstanding,” said the former England striker after putting Konate in his team of the week.
“Rock solid centre-half. Pace, aggression, you know, good in the air. Van Dijk is the one everyone talks about, but for me, Konate this season has been outstanding.
“Again on the weekend, nothing got past him,” adds Agbonlahor. “He was a rock at the back and deserves to be recognised.”
Jarell Quansah set for Liverpool chance
It is really pleasing to see Konate return to being the player every Liverpool supporter already knew he was.
The end of last season was the most difficult period of Ibou’s Liverpool career, but he has come through it marvellously.
However, as Agbonlahor alludes to, Konate returning to his best form has been bad news for Jarell Quansah.
Quansah was the man who had wrestled a starting spot from the France international but has not played a minute since being taken off at half-time against Ipswich on opening day.
With West Ham visiting Anfield in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, it looks likely that Quansah will have the chance to come in to the starting XI. Whatever the 21-year-old does, though, he’s now firmly behind Ibou once again.
