Liverpool’s worries at the back grew worse on Saturday as Ibrahima Konaté was forced off during the Reds’ painful 2-1 loss to Chelsea — a result that deepened concerns about the team’s already fragile defensive depth.The French centre-back appeared uncomfortable midway through the second half, limping after a sprint. Manager Arne Slot later revealed that Konaté had complained of feeling something in his quadriceps, prompting an immediate decision to withdraw him.> “When a player starts limping after a sprint, all the alarm bells go off,” Slot admitted. “He told me he felt something in his quad, and I couldn’t risk him making it worse. Sometimes it’s better to take precaution than face a bigger problem later.”The Liverpool boss added that the substitution had partly been planned for tactical reasons, noting that he had wanted more creativity from the right centre-back area — a role he believes Ryan Gravenberch could fill effectively.> “It might turn out to be nothing serious,” Slot continued, “but it was clear he needed to come off.”The timing, however, couldn’t have been worse. With Alisson already sidelined and several defenders unavailable, Slot’s options in central defence are becoming dangerously limited.Liverpool will now anxiously await updates on Konaté’s condition, hoping the early substitution proves to have prevented a more serious injury.
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