Ryan Gravenberch stole all the plaudits following Liverpool’s 1-0 win against Burnley, but a dominant display from one of his teammates has flown under the radar.
The match at Turf Moor was a chaotic affair to say the least as the Reds relied on a 95th-minute Mohamed Salah penalty to secure the three points on Sunday.
It was also a tough afternoon for Milos Kerkez, who was substituted in the first half after committing a series of rash decisions following his yellow card for simulation.
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Arne Slot maintained his perfect start to the 2025/26 campaign with his side becoming the first in Premier League history to win their opening four matches with goals scored in the final ten minutes or later.
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
However, the Dutchman will be particularly pleased with one performance at Turf Moor as a heavily scrutinised Reds star appeared to rediscover his best form.
Ibrahima Konate was dominant for Liverpool vs Burnley
Indeed, Gravenberch left Liverpool supporters in awe as he continues to show a level of consistency at Anfield on par with the best midfielders in world football.
But Ibrahima Konate’s display against Burnley cannot be overshadowed, as the Frenchman, who was identified as a weakness in the Reds’ backline, has responded in a scintillating fashion.
The 26-year-old won more duels than any other player on the pitch at Turf Moor and was undoubtedly Liverpool’s Man of the Match as he almost single-handedly kept the opposition at bay.
Ibrahima Konate vs BurnleyTotalTouches105Pass accuracy86%Chances created2Ground Duels won86%Aerial Duels won73%Tackles4Recoveries3Interceptions2Clearances2Statistics provided by Fotmob.
As revealed by TBR Football, Liverpool continued contract talks with Konate during the international break, with his current deal at Anfield set to expire at the end of the season.
Konate’s performances for the Reds, prior to Sunday, were becoming a serious cause for concern as he was culpable for at least half of the four goals conceded in the opening two matches.
His form prompted Jamie Carragher to admit that he believes Konate is replaceable for Liverpool should he, in fact, depart in 2026, but after his display at Turf Moor, this may no longer be the case.
Ibrahima Konate will not wish to watch back his point-blank miss
While the statistics show a complete performance from the defender, there is one stat that he will not wish to revisit.
During the first half, Cody Gakpo’s corner found Konate’s head at point-blank range while he wrestled with a Burnley defender, and his headed effort sailed over the crossbar.
According to Sky Sports, the xG for Konate’s miss was 0.49; for reference, a penalty kick has an xG of 0.79, emphasising just how bad the miss was.
Had Salah not converted his spot-kick to win the match, then Konate’s chance may have become a significant talking point after the final whistle, but nevertheless, it mattered not in the end, and the Liverpool supporters will be pleased to see the defender playing himself back into form.