Konate injury could reopen door for Matip, will he kick it open?

Ibrahima Konate has been one of the best players for Liverpool in the early going of the 2023-24 Premier League season. However, as has become too common, he has been struck down with the injury bug. A familiar face could be set to step in and play hero. That man is Joel Matip.

In the last year, Matip has seen his playing time steadily decline as a result of both his poor form and the rise in form from Konate.

As we have chronicled earlier this summer, the defensive depth is non-existent at Liverpool which means Matip will potentially be thrown back into the Starting XI as soon as the Red’s trip to Newcastle.

The reason I believe Matip will get this chance over Joe Gomez is that Jurgen Klopp loves familiar faces. He does not like the unknown and Gomez falls under that category.

I don’t think there will be many Liverpool fans who are excited at the prospect of Matip being restored to the starting lineup. However, at least he has a lot of experience he can fall back on.

He lacks the physical gifts that Konate brings to the table which is crucial because the Frenchman has been instrumental in covering the slower Virgil van Dijk and the ever-marauding Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Matip does not possess those gifts at this stage of his career. The likes of Alexander Isak and Miguel Almiron will be tough to deal with if they get the opportunity to build up a head of steam.

He will need to rely on his knowhow and experience to compensate for this. If he can get on the same page with Virgil early, things could work out.

However, I don’t necessarily want to see a slaloming run on the ball from Matip this week or going forward. His focus needs to be doing the basics to the best of his ability. The current setup of the side does not allow that kind of play from a central defender.

If Matip can turn back the clock and recapture some of his form from a few years ago, Konate’s absence will not be as dramatic as it appears to be.

On the other hand, if his current level is the new norm for Matip, it could prove to be tough sledding over the next few weeks.

There is no denying that Matip’s best days are behind him, but this Konate injury could be his last chance to show Reds fans he still has something left in the tank. Here’s hoping that is the case.