Liverpool will be indebted to Ibrahima Konate this morning, after the defender’s presence of mind during the Champions League tie against Bologna got his goalkeeper, Alisson Becker, out of jail.
In a game that had pundits raving about one particular Liverpool player, Alisson’s poor and laboured clearance only succeeded in putting his Reds team-mates under immediate pressure in the 28th minute, when they were leading 1-0.
A few short passes later and the Italians were in on goal, and but for Konate’s intervention they would surely have equalised in a game that saw Mo Salah break two records.
In the blink of an eye, the centre-back travelled yards across the box and stretched out a long leg to divert the striker’s shot onto the bar.
Alisson himself told TNT Sports after the game, in quotes run by Empire of the Kop, that Liverpool were lucky to have one player in particular on their side.
Arne Slot’s side find themselves in fifth position in the Champions League table after two games.
Pictures from TNT Sports