Liverpool player under fire after disastrous 3–0 defeat to Man City
Four days earlier, Liverpool had ground out a 1–0 win over Real Madrid, a result that briefly suggested Arne Slot’s men were finding stability after weeks of inconsistency. That illusion didn’t last long.
Against City, Liverpool were second best in every department: reactive instead of proactive, disjointed instead of disciplined.
City didn’t have to be spectacular — they simply waited for Liverpool to self-destruct. When Erling Haaland opened the scoring midway through the first half, it came from a predictable lapse: another mistimed intervention, another hesitant clearance.
The pattern continued all afternoon. By the time Jeremy Doku curled in City’s third, Liverpool looked defeated in more ways than one — technically, tactically, and mentally.
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Konaté the symbol of a wider decline
The defensive chaos now has a face. Ibrahima Konaté, once viewed as Van Dijk’s long-term successor, has become the symbol of a Liverpool side that has forgotten how to defend with conviction.
Against Real Madrid, he looked steady, even confident at times. Against City, he regressed completely — slow to react, sloppy in possession, and visibly rattled when pressed.
His passing was erratic, his positioning uncertain. On several occasions, he played Haaland onside or failed to track runs through the channel. Each mistake chipped away at his authority, and by the final whistle, even his body language screamed self-doubt.
When one of your centre-backs looks beaten before the ball arrives, the rest of the team feels it.
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Jamie Carragher summed it up bluntly on Sky Sports: “He’s got the ability, but right now the mental side isn’t matching the physical. When he loses focus, the whole defence looks nervous.”
Carragher’s analysis is kind — if anything, too kind. Konaté’s lapses are no longer rare blips; they’re part of a worrying pattern.
A flawed project exposed
Liverpool’s problems go beyond one player. Slot’s attempt to implement a more expansive, possession-based system has repeatedly backfired because the defenders he relies on can’t execute it under pressure.
The club’s summer spending spree — more than £400 million, according to BBC Sport — failed to include a single new centre-back. Now, that oversight looks negligent.
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Without reinforcement, Liverpool have had to persist with a defender who is clearly out of rhythm. The gamble is costing them. When Konaté hesitates, Van Dijk overcompensates, leaving gaps elsewhere. When the back line drops deeper to protect him, Liverpool lose the compactness that once defined their press.
It’s a domino effect that City exploited with ease.
Excuses no longer wash
Konaté has tried to defend himself. Earlier this season, he posted on social media: “The problem is some of you forget too quickly.”
But the criticism he faces now isn’t about memory — it’s about standards. Liverpool built their modern success on reliability and resilience. Right now, Konaté embodies neither.
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His form has become so erratic that even Real Madrid, once rumoured to be eyeing him on a free transfer, are said by Marca to be reconsidering their interest.
That says everything about how far his stock has fallen since last season’s title run.
Liverpool’s leadership void
Part of the issue is mental. Liverpool’s spine once radiated authority: Alisson, Van Dijk, Fabinho, Henderson. With key leaders gone or ageing, Slot’s side looks uncertain every time it faces adversity.
When City’s second goal went in, heads dropped instantly. There was no anger, no response — just resignation. That’s not the Liverpool that used to terrify opponents.
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The manager can talk about tactical evolution all he likes, but football’s fundamentals haven’t changed: if you can’t defend your box, you can’t compete for titles.
A harsh truth
Liverpool’s 3–0 defeat at the Etihad wasn’t just another off day — it was a reflection of what they’ve become: talented, talented enough to win on their best nights, but too brittle to survive their worst.
And at the heart of that decline is a defender who has lost his conviction and a team that seems unsure how to help him find it again.
Until Liverpool fix the structural and psychological flaws in their back line, results like this will keep coming — no matter who the opposition is.
Sources: BBC Sport, Sky Sports, Marca, Goal, Premier League statement.
