Arne Slot thanked defender and goal-scorer Ibrahima Konate for cutting short his bereavement leave to help Liverpool beat Newcastle.
The France international had missed the last three matches after the sad loss of his father and was planning to return to England at the end of this week.
But having seen Liverpool’s defensive injury issues – four were ruled out of this match – Konate told Slot he would return early and he scored in a 4-1 rout of Eddie Howe’s side to add to a Hugo Ekitike double and one from Florian Wirtz.
‘He had a very difficult two weeks and probably still has a difficult time,’ said Slot. ‘We spoke at the end of last week when he said he was planning to be back for the end of this week and it would have meant he could not play this game.
‘But when he saw the problems we had defensively, he called me early this week and said, ‘I want to be back to help the team against Newcastle’. He came back on Wednesday and trained twice with us.
‘Today, not only he scored a goal but he played a great game and the fans were really appreciative throughout the whole game, but definitely at the end when he scored, and his teammates were just as appreciative when he came in the dressing room after the final whistle.
Ibrahima Konate cut short his bereavement leave to play in Liverpool’s clash with Newcastle
Arne Slot thanked the Reds defender for returning early after a ‘difficult’ time for the player
‘It is very nice for him to score a goal when he has had such a difficult time and I think this team has shown we are always there for each other in difficult circumstances – that’s what they were for him in the last few days. That’s why they were so happy that he managed to score.’
Konate added: ‘I don’t have words to describe what I feel right now. It was a very difficult moment for me and my family in the last two weeks. This is part of life but it is very hard to accept it. We have no choice.’
Slot also hailed two-goal Ekitike, who took his goal tally since joining to 15. ‘(He is) funny, happy, always brings a nice energy to the training ground,’ said the head coach.
‘But also to the stadium because the fans love him as well. From the start, everyone can see how special he is and how fast he is. We have seen this the second goal he scored.’
