Liverpool disasterclass exposes Konaté as Slot’s biggest problem after Forest loss

Liverpool’s collapse at Anfield on 22 November 2025 felt like something far worse than a blip. A 3–0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, leaving the reigning champions with only three wins from their last 11 games, has dragged Arne Slot’s side into full-blown crisis. The Reds sit 11th in the Premier League table with just 18 points — eight behind leaders Arsenal — and the fallout has been immediate. According to multiple local reports, including Liverpool World and The Athletic, the manner of the defeat was as alarming as the result.

Forest’s goals — from Murillo, Nicolo Savona and captain Morgan Gibbs-White — weren’t freak moments. They were the product of structural issues and individual errors. And while Liverpool had the ball (76% possession, 21 shots), they created very little of genuine value, landing just four efforts on target. This wasn’t domination; it was sterile.

Slot experimented, rotated and reshuffled again, but several players delivered performances that simply weren’t acceptable for a club of Liverpool’s ambitions. And one stood out above the rest.

Alexander Isak endured another anonymous outing, registering just 15 touches and still chasing his first league goal for the club. Alexis Mac Allister, part of yet another improvised midfield, earned a 4/10 from Liverpool World after being blamed for diving in needlessly in the build-up to Forest’s second goal.

But neither was the worst.

Ibrahima Konaté’s performance was described by James Pearce of The Athletic as “a nightmare… error after error”. The Frenchman has been unrecognisable this season, and Forest exposed him repeatedly. His partnership with Virgil van Dijk — once Liverpool’s defensive backbone — now looks fractured beyond repair.

Konaté won only four of his seven duels, conceded careless fouls and misjudged key defensive moments. Will Rooney handed him a brutal 4/10, saying he “should have dealt with the ball better” before Forest’s opener and “made a meal” of a later cross. Given his form, his contractual situation and his costly mistakes, the pressure on Slot to remove him from the starting XI is rising fast.

Having followed Liverpool closely this season, Konaté’s situation feels like more than just a bad run of form. In our view, the defender’s confidence has collapsed because he is being asked to play in a system that exposes his weaknesses rather than amplifying his strengths. Slot’s high-line, front-foot model demands near-perfect timing and ball security — two areas where Konaté has struggled since pre-season.

Although some reports suggest Real Madrid remain interested, other indications point differently: Los Blancos are unlikely to move for an error-prone defender with an expiring contract unless the fee is negligible. That nuance matters, because it suggests Liverpool may not have the leverage they assume.

From my experience covering defensive rebuilds across Europe, when a centre-back’s form drops this dramatically — and continues over months — managers often decide the only solution is removal from the firing line. Konaté looks like a player who needs recalibration, not repetition.

Liverpool have been linked again with Crystal Palace captain Marc Guéhi after missing out on deadline day. The logic is clear: they cannot enter 2026 with a defence anchored by a player out of contract in the summer and delivering relegation-threat levels of form. Whether Slot wants a reset or the board forces it, centre-back is now Liverpool’s highest priority.

Ibrahima Konaté is currently on reported £70,000/£80,000 per week salary on his 5-year contract (2021/26) signed back in July 2021

Liverpool face PSV on 26 November 2025 in the Champions League, and Slot must decide whether Konaté can be trusted in another high-pressure fixture. With the fanbase increasingly impatient and January approaching fast, big decisions are looming at Anfield.

👉 Liverpool fans — do you think Konaté should be dropped immediately, or does he deserve one last chance?