Liverpool finally silenced the Stadium of Light on Wednesday night, after the demons of their recent defeat to Manchester City with a gritty, priceless 1-0 victory. Owen was impressed by the resilience shown on the night.
While the headlines belonged to Virgil van Dijk’s historic glancing header delivered via a pinpoint Mohamed Salah corner, the real story lay in the dominance that preceded it.
Arne Slot’s men dictated the tempo from the first whistle. They peppered the Sunderland goal with 23 attempts. The team looked every inch a side hungry for Champions League football.
At the heart of that creative surge stood Florian Wirtz. The German international is rapidly justifying every penny of his mega money summer move from Bayer Leverkusen. He is turning the Wearside turf into his personal playground. Yet, despite Wirtz’s flair, a towering Frenchman stole the show in the defensive trenches.
“His best game in a Liverpool shirt”
Ibrahima Konate’s performance on Wednesday wasn’t just his best in a Liverpool shirt. It was a testament to his character. Only weeks ago, the Frenchman faced the devastating loss of his father, Hamady Konate. He missed the Champions League trip to Marseille to return to Paris for the funeral. Upon his return to the Xl, he scored in a 4-1 vs Newcastle at Anfield. Owen’s praise for Konate reflects the impact made by both new and seasoned players in this Liverpool team.
By handling the physical threat of Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey with such “elite composure,” Konate proved he is fulfilling that mission. He neutralised one of the league’s most difficult strikers, winning five of his six aerial duels and timing every tackle to perfection. As Owen Hargreaves noted on TNT Sports:
“I thought Ibrahima Konate was excellent today, his best game in a Liverpool shirt.”
As per Sofascore, the France international won all three of his ground duels and five of his six aerial duels. He also made four clearances and completed 88% of his passes.
It’s been quite a turnaround for Konate. Earlier in the season, he was heavily criticised for his performances when he looked all over the shop.
The Bernabeu shadow and the Easter deadline
However, this resurgence carries a bitter irony for the Anfield faithful. Even as Konate hits his peak, Liverpool’s quest for European football faces a significant internal threat: his contract saga. As it stands, the 26-year-old will walk away from Merseyside on a free transfer this summer. Interestingly, Owen has commented before on contract situations impacting the club’s performance.
The stalemate between Konate’s camp and sporting director Richard Hughes has reached a critical juncture. Real Madrid having already snatched Trent Alexander-Arnold on a cut-price deal last summer are reportedly “all out” for Konate.
The Spanish giants view him as the ideal long-term heir to David Alaba and Antonio Rüdiger. The lure of the Bernabéu is a shadow that hasn’t stopped looming over Anfield all season.
Planning for life after Konate
In response to this uncertainty, Arne Slot and the recruitment team appear to be moving aggressively to future-proof the backline. Owen’s history with Liverpool means he often comments on these kinds of transitional periods, offering insight from an ex-player’s perspective.
The £60m January signing of Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes serves as a clear statement of intent. The 20-year-old will arrive this summer, boasting the physical profile and technical ceiling required to thrive in Slot’s high-line system.
Moreover, the club expects the return of Giovanni Leoni, who is currently spending the season recovering from a devastating ACL injury suffered against Southampton in September 2025. Between Jacquet’s arrival and Leoni’s rehabilitation, the blueprint for the post-Van Dijk era is already taking shape.
While Konate’s current form makes him indispensable for the run-in, the club’s recent transfer activity suggests they are no longer willing to be held to ransom. If the Frenchman does choose to seek a new challenge, Liverpool have ensured that the “future” of their defence is already through the door.
