Manchester United have just been handed a major boost as they prepare to travel to Anfield to face Liverpool, with a key player from Arne Slot’s side being sent home from international duty
Scott Trotter Sports Writer and Aaron Morris Senior Sports Reporter
14:05, 11 Oct 2025
Ibrahima Konate has been sent home from international duty with France ahead of Liverpool’s game against Manchester United(Image: Carl Recine, Getty Images)
Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate has been forced to withdraw from international duty due to injury concerns.
The defender was benched for France against Azerbaijan and will not be joining the team for their trip to Iceland. Konate arrived at Clairefontaine with an existing injury and has been unable to recover in time to participate in Les Bleus’ World Cup qualifying matches.
The Frenchman had to leave the pitch during Liverpool’s last Premier League match against Chelsea with a thigh injury. Didier Deschamps’ squad is set to jet off to Reykjavik on Saturday evening, preparing for their match against Iceland on Monday.
However, Konate will not be accompanying them as he focuses on his recovery. The former RB Leipzig player has been following a personalised treatment plan for a his injury.
A statement from the French national team read: “Injured in the right quadriceps during his last match with Liverpool, Ibrahima Konaté has followed a treatment and protocol since his arrival this Monday but will not be able to take his place against Iceland. Benjamin Pavard is called in as reinforcement and will join the group in Reykjavik.”
Now, the question remains whether he will be fit enough to play in Liverpool’s upcoming match against Manchester United next weekend. Konate made an early exit during the second half of Liverpool’s defeat to Chelsea, leaving manager Arne Slot with limited options in central defence.
Curtis Jones stepped in to replace the 26-year-old, with Ryan Gravenberch moving to join Virgil van Dijk in the backline. Despite the concern over Konate’s injury, Slot remains hopeful that the defender was substituted quickly enough to prevent any serious complications, reports the Mirror.
Ibrahima Konate was withdrawn in the second-half of Liverpool’s match with Chelsea last time out(Image: Robin Jones/Getty Images)
He said at full-time: “I don’t know if it is a big injury, but what I do know is he limped a little bit and when I asked him he said he felt his quad a little bit. Then, for me, all alarm bells go off because in another sprint you never know if that is going to go good.
“It was also already a substitution I had in mind, maybe for a few minutes or a little bit later, because the right centre-back had a lot of ball possession and we needed to create from that position.We all know Ryan [Gravenberch] is quite good in that.
“It might be OK that he went off early enough but it was clear I had to take him off because he was limping.”
Konate was deemed fit enough to join his national side, but it appears he is still struggling with the same problem. Joe Gomez could yet deputise, but he was not chosen from the bench against Chelsea after returning from injury himself.
Liverpool have already seen Giovanni Leoni ruled out for the rest of the season after tearing his ACL on his full debut. The Italian youngster put in an impressive Carabao Cup display but saw his outing overshadowed by the traumatic injury.
It should be positive news for Manchester United fans, as the Reds travel to Anfield to face the Premier League champions on Sunday, October 19. Ruben Amorim has endured a mixed-bag of results this season thus far, as United sit 10th in the Premier League standings with three wins, as many losses and a draw to show for their efforts.
However, after achieving a 2-0 win over Sunderland AFC at Old Trafford ahead of the international break, and largely sound in terms of injuries, the Portuguese tactician will hope to kickstart his drive for European qualification against Liverpool.
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