‘Going to struggle’: Watford player sends warning to Liverpool new boy

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Ben Foster has claimed that Ibrahima Konate is ‘going to struggle’ to break into Liverpool’s XI, as he told his own YouTube channel. 

The English goalkeeper claimed that Liverpool duo Virgil Van Dijk and Joel Matip are one of the best pairings in the Premier League. 

Usually, it’s Van Dijk playing alongside either Joe Gomez or Matip at the heart of Liverpool’s defence – but that wasn’t possible last season because all three ended up in the treatment room.

Nonetheless, during the Reds’ previous outing, it was Matip who helped VVD deal with the attacking and brute strength of Romelu Lukaku, as the Premier League title contenders left Anfield with a point each.

But given the quality in front of Konate on Merseyside, Foster thinks Liverpool’s new boy will find life ‘difficult’ as he searches for minutes out on the pitch.

“A quiet transfer window,” said Foster. “Really, really quiet incoming transfer window. 

“Just Konate from Leipzig for £36 million. Centre-back, who is probably going to struggle for a little bit actually to get into the starting XI. 

“I think Matip and Van Dijk are probably two of the best centre-back pairings in the Premier League. I am not saying individually.

“But I think them two as a partnership work incredibly well. They compliment each other’s game fanatically, so I think it’s going to be difficult for him. It’s a great signing. But difficult to get in.”

It’s obvious that Van Dijk is the main man in Liverpool’s defence, it’s just a case of who sits alongside him.

It could be argued that both Matip and Gomez are ahead of Konate in the pecking order, so it’s going to be interesting to see where he earns his game time from.

The League Cup is one obvious answer for Liverpool’s summer signing.

But will Jurgen Klopp perhaps dare to change his system and perhaps try three at the back? He certainly has the numbers and quality to do so.

Klopp doesn’t change up his formation as much as Pep Guardiola does, but it’s certainly on the table for him to go down that road.