'I just think': Micah Richards says what Ibrahima Konate needs to do to reach 'the next level' at Liverpool
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Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate produced a superb display to help the Reds beat Wolves 2-1 at Molineux.
Konate impressed Michael Owen as Liverpool moved to the top of the Premier League table with the victory under Arne Slot.
The defender was on target with a powerful header in first-half stoppage time, with Mohamed Salah scoring the winner from the penalty spot.
Liverpool are now a point ahead of Man City and Arsenal after six matches, with five wins and one defeat so far.
Slot is the first Liverpool boss with three away wins at the start of his tenure, which will delight the Anfield faithful.
Micah Richards impressed by Ibrahima Konate in Liverpool win vs Wolves
It was yet another team performance from the Reds, but former Premier League defender Micah Richards analysed Konate's display in particular on Match of the Day.
Speaking of the Liverpool centre-back, he said: "Yeah Konate I think he's got all the tools to be a top-class centre-half. It's always been [Virgil] van Dijk and another. [Jarell] Quansah started the season and he brought Konate on at half-time.
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"His positioning has got a lot better, you see the size of him, the frame of him, in the air he's really good. From set-pieces, he stayed up from a corner and this is what he can do when he's given the licence to go forward and win that header. Lovely header against Sam Johnstone."
Ibrahima Konate told how to reach another level at Liverpool
Konate missed out from the start on the opening day against Ipswich, with Slot opting to partner Van Dijk with Quansah.
But the latter didn't last long, with the Liverpool manager making the decision to swap him out for Konate at the break.
Neither Slot nor Konate has looked back since, with the Frenchman really impressing at the back since then.
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Richards does, however, think there is room for improvement for the defender, with the former adding: "But I just want to look at a couple of things that he can improve on.
"Communication, being the leader at the back. And even yes there was a communication error between Alisson and him, just kick it out, don't worry about it, safety should always be first. I watched him a lot at Leipzig, so much potential.
"These situations here, he doesn't need to take a yellow card, just bide your time, watch what's happening in the situation and just read it.
"But all these things he's tremendous at; last-ditch tackles, he can do that, he can get back in, pace, no problem at all.
"But I just think to go to the next level now, if he can just concentrate a little bit more, be a bit more assured sometimes on the ball, because all this stuff he's got in the bag."
