Liverpool dealt major injury blow as Arne Slot explains Ibrahima Konate substitution in Chelsea defeat | OneFootball

The centre-back was forced off in the 2-1 loss at Stamford Bridge

Arne Slot has confirmed Ibrahima Konate’s substitution against Chelsea was injury related.

The reigning Premier League champions were beaten 2-1 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, completing a miserable week for Slot’s side.

After seeing their unbeaten start to the season ended against Crystal Palace and then losing to Galatasaray in the Champions League, it is now three straight defeats across all competitions for Liverpool.

When pressed for an update on the Frenchman, Slot said: “I don’t know if it is a big injury, but what I do know is he limped a little bit and when I asked him he said he felt his quad a little bit.

“Then, for me, all alarm bells go off because in another sprint you never know if that is going to go good.

“It was also already a substitution I had in mind, maybe for a few minutes or a little bit later, because the right centre-back had a lot of ball possession and we needed to create from that position.

“We all know Ryan [Gravenberch] is quite good in that.

“It might be OK that he went off early enough but it was clear I had to take him off because he was limping.”

Injury concern: Ibrahima Konate

Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Konate has been named in the France squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Iceland, though it remains to be seen if the defender joins up with the squad next week.

Liverpool will be hopeful the injury is not too serious given the lack of central defensive options at Slot’s disposal.

The Reds have lost summer signing Giovanni Leoni to an ACL injury for the remainder of the season, leaving Joe Gomez as the only other senior and natural centre-back in the squad.