23:05, 29 Dec 2025<\/p>\n
![\"Gary](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_Untitled-design-23.jpg\")
Gary Neville was brutal in his verdict on Ibrahima Konate’s performance against Everton in 2024(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Ibrahima Konate will be hoping he has better luck when he comes up against Dominic Calvert-Lewin again this week.<\/p>\n
The Liverpool defender certainly won\u2019t have good memories of his most recent meeting with the striker. Konate<\/a> was directly at fault for the penalty that was given away against Leeds at Elland Road earlier this month, with Calvert-Lewin stepping up to halve the deficit after Hugo Ekitike<\/a> had fired the visitors into a 2-0 lead.<\/p>\n From there, the Reds unraveled. Leeds soon equalized, and despite Dominik Szoboszlai<\/a> putting Liverpool back ahead, another late leveler saw the hosts snatch a point. And of course, we all know what happened after the game with Mohamed Salah<\/a>.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news LIVE: Antoine Semenyo agreement, Marc Guehi latest, Schlotterbeck move<\/a>READ MORE: Mohamed Salah suffered major locker room blow before Arne Slot tensions boiled over<\/a><\/p>\n Konate will get a shot at redemption when Leeds visits Anfield on New Year\u2019s Day – but it\u2019s not just that game in Yorkshire that might be on the Frenchman\u2019s mind<\/a>.<\/p>\n Konate suffered another nightmare against Calvert-Lewin back when the England international was still an Everton player. With Liverpool\u2019s title hopes fading away during the final days of Jurgen Klopp\u2019s<\/a> time as manager in 2024, the final nail was driven into the coffin when the Reds suffered a 2-0 defeat at Goodison Park – the first of the German\u2019s tenure.<\/p>\n And Calvert-Lewin proved to be Konate\u2019s chief tormenter that night – so much so that just a few minutes after he had headed home Everton\u2019s second from a corner, Konate was hauled off and replaced by Jarell Quansah<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Calvert-Lewin is at his best, he can bully center-backs,\u201d Gary Neville<\/a> surmised while commentating on the game for Sky Sports.<\/p>\n \u201cKonate is a big bloke. (But Calvert-Lewin) has got to him. That\u2019s the thing about center-backs, they don\u2019t like losing aerial duels and Everton are the best at it. He\u2019s got some spring, that man (Calvert-Lewin).<\/p>\n \u201cKonate was picked for the right reasons, to be that dominant partner for Virgil van Dijk, but it\u2019s just not worked. They can\u2019t handle Calvert-Lewin. He is beating Liverpool\u2019s center-backs up. He\u2019s on fire.\u201d<\/p>\n Get LFC’s 2025\/26 season home and away kits<\/p>\n This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more<\/a> From $100<\/p>\n LFC.com<\/p>\n See the deal<\/a><\/p>\n Liverpool’s home and away strips for the 2025\/26 season are the first in their new partnership with adidas.<\/p>\n Fans can order jerseys in the US at Fanatics.com<\/a> or via the LFC Online Store<\/a> in both the US and across the world.<\/p>\n And Neville didn\u2019t stop there as he rubbed some more salt in the wounds after the game.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was an element of this game where you felt Liverpool were outmuscled,\u201d Neville said during his podcast<\/a>. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t say outfought because Liverpool teams work hard but they were outmuscled by Everton in the big moments in both boxes.<\/p>\n \u201cLiverpool lost the game in both boxes, which is where you lose the game, but physically they lost the game in both boxes.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was surprising. I was really surprised that Konate, who I thought was the right pick alongside Van Dijk, he just got pushed around and nudged and ruffled.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t expect that. I just expected them to be really powerful and dominant in those areas.\u201d<\/p>\n It hasn\u2019t been a stellar season for Konate by any means, with his performances not helping some of the ill-feeling that has developed among supporters as his contract continues to run down<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Dominic](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_GettyImages-2149430087.jpg\")
Dominic Calvert-Lewin ‘bullied’ Ibrahima Konate during Everton’s win over Liverpool in 2024, according to Gary Neville(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"Content](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_Liverpools-new-kit-at-the-re-opened-club-shop-at-AnfieldPic-Andrew-Teebay.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Ibrahima](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1767070817_911_0_GettyImages-2250375247.jpg\")
Konate was also at fault for letting Leeds back into the game in his most recent meeting with Calvert-Lewin<\/p>\n