Richard Keys slams ‘absolute nonsense’ after Konate controversy at Liverpool
Ibrahima Konate was very lucky to stay on the pitch as Liverpool beat Wolves 2-1 on Sunday, and Richard Keys hasn’t held back.
Arne Slot made the wise decision to hook Konate for Jarell Quansah at half-time of his side’s victory, after the Frenchman was fortunate not to be given his marching orders despite the Reds being 2-0 up.
Konate’s first, and ultimately only yellow card, came in the 31st minute, dragging back Wolves’ goalscorer Matheus Cunha as he threatened to break over halfway and subsequently take a quick free-kick.
A second, however, arguably should have come five minutes before the break as Konate clattered Cunha right on the edge of the Reds’ box, but the card instead went to Wolves’ Emmanuel Agbadou for dissent.
Richard Keys slams Ibrahima Konate let-off at Liverpool
While Slot recognised that Konate needed saving from himself by bringing him off at the break, Richard Keys slammed Peter Walton’s defence of the referee’s decision not to show the Reds man a red card.
Writing in his weekly website blog (17 February), Keys said: “Now we know why Konate wasn’t sent off – according to Peter Walton in The Times, it’s because of a directive for less fussy refereeing.
“What absolute nonsense. Laughable nonsense. Why do these PGMOL patsies treat us like idiots?
“Everybody knows Konate should’ve been booked a second time for clattering into Cunha. He didn’t have a very good game I’m afraid.”
Ibrahima Konate becoming a red flag for Liverpool
Facing a Wolves side sat 17th and just two points above the relegation zone should have been a formality for the Reds, but Slot’s side were never able to recover from the shakiness instilled in them by Konate.
Though the 25-year-old didn’t play a minute of the second half, Liverpool were unable to snap out of that mindset throughout its entirety, failing to register a single shot other than Mo Salah’s disallowed goal.
Konate’s displays next to the supremely-assured Virgil van Dijk at the back have been night and day of late, sparking questions as to whom is the best partner for the skipper as the Reds approach the run-in.
A new centre-back will be high on the Liverpool transfer agenda come the opening of the summer window, but with Van Dijk’s contract winding down, any linked incomings would likely be seen as replacements.
However, even if the Dutchman does stay put and leads Liverpool to the Premier League title, Slot may still be inclined to strengthen at the back if Konate doesn’t improve from his recent displays.