“We need him against Spurs’ attack”, “This lowkey stinks” – Liverpool fans worried as 24-year-old misses starting line-up for Tottenham game

Ibrahima Konate's absence from Liverpool's starting line-up to face Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, September 30, has sent ripples of concern through the Reds' fans.

Both sides are set to engage in a clash of titans, putting their respective unbeaten runs in the Premier League on the line in North London.

Riding on an impressive seven-game winning streak across all competitions, Liverpool find themselves occupying the third spot on the Premier League table. They are looking to protect an eight-game unbeaten run in away Premier League games and also a 19-game undefeated streak overall.

Liverpool's recent dominance over Spurs is also notable as they haven't lost to them since a 4-1 drubbing in October 2017. Over 12 subsequent meetings, Klopp's men have held firm, even completing a season sweep of the Lilywhites last year.

However, this fixture presents a new challenge. Spurs are under the direction of a new managerial voice in Ange Postecoglou and have scored an impressive 15 goals in their last six games.

Yet it is the absence of Ibrahima Konate that has particularly captivated the attention and triggered anxieties among Liverpool supporters. Taking their concerns to X (formerly Twitter), fans have expressed apprehension about the void Konate leaves in the defensive line, especially with Spurs' attacking quality.

Here is a selection of their tweets:

"surprised konate isn’t starting tbh we need him against spurs’ attack"

"This lowkey stinks ngl, Konate has to start so does Nunez"

---

Jurgen Klopp reveals the Liverpool squad overhaul during the summer transfer window was timely

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has conceded that the previous summer was an opportune moment for the Reds to revamp their squad. The seasoned tactician believes that the current squad's architecture is adequately designed to evolve and flourish in the years to come.

The reconstruction, according to Klopp, was a necessary endeavor. He likened it to his seven-year stint at Borussia Dortmund where he saw firsthand the need for rejuvenation.

In an insightful analogy, Klopp drew parallels between his time at Dortmund and the current phase at Liverpool, saying (via Tribal Football):

"It was the job we had to do. I had seven years at Dortmund and when I left there it was a moment where change was needed and we would have had to change players in different roles or the manager. Dortmund in the end did both."

He continued:

"So I left and they changed a lot anyway. It was a moment for that. It is not the first time I was allowed to do something like that. I love it. It gives me completely new energy, it's great, this team has a completely new set up."

The Reds, who enjoyed significant success in recent years, including a Premier League title and a Champions League triumph, have evolved in recent times. Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, Andrew Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Mohamed Salah remain from the key team that secured those trophies.

Other vital players at the time, including Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, have now left the club.