Dominik Szoboszlai may have stolen the spotlight with his breathtaking last-minute free-kick against Arsenal, but the Hungarian playmaker stunned everyone after the match by refusing to accept the Man of the Match honor for himself.
Instead, Szoboszlai openly credited a teammate, saying:
👉 “He’s the one who truly earned it, not me. I scored, yes—but he’s the reason Liverpool survived tonight. Without him, my goal wouldn’t have mattered.”
So, who was the player Szoboszlai hailed as Liverpool’s real savior? None other than Ibrahima Konaté.
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Konaté the Wall 🧱
While fans will replay Szoboszlai’s strike for years to come, those who watched closely know Konaté was colossal at the back. Tasked with silencing Arsenal’s dangerous striker Victor Gyökeres, the French defender barely put a foot wrong.
For 90 minutes, Konaté dominated every duel—outmuscling, outjumping, and outsmarting Arsenal’s frontline. Time and again, just when it looked like Arsenal would break through, Konaté appeared with a perfectly timed tackle or towering clearance.
Even Arsenal’s own forward admitted post-match that facing Konaté was “like running into a brick wall.”
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Humility and Unity ❤️
Szoboszlai’s decision to pass the award on to his teammate shows not just humility, but the bond within Arne Slot’s squad. He summed it up perfectly:
⚽ “Football isn’t about one strike in the 90th minute—it’s about everything that happens before. Konaté gave us the clean sheet. Today belonged to him.”
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Fans’ Reactions 💬
Supporters were quick to echo Szoboszlai’s words:
“Szobo scored the screamer, but Konaté was a beast all night.”
“This is the mentality that makes Liverpool dangerous—team before self.”
“Gyökeres couldn’t breathe with Konaté marking him. Absolute monster.”
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The Bigger Picture 🌍
Liverpool’s 1-0 triumph will forever be linked to Szoboszlai’s stunning winner, but inside the dressing room, the loudest cheers were reserved for Konaté. His defensive dominance was the platform for victory, a reminder that sometimes the match-winner isn’t the one who scores—but the one who makes sure no goals are conceded.
In Szoboszlai’s eyes, the real headline wasn’t his goal—it was Konaté turning Anfield into a fortress once again.
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