The Premier League champions have struggled defensively this season, conceding more goals (twelve) than any other team, including one in Saturday’s 2-1 win at home to Wolves.
The inability to sign Marc Guehi this summer was a major blow, while highly rated youngster Giovanni Leoni is forced to leave the season with a torn cruciate ligament.
It meant Konate and Virgil van Dijk simply had to stay fit to avoid Liverpool’s season becoming even more difficult.
Konate has improved of late after a dismal run of form earlier in the season, but is one yellow card away from a one-match suspension.
However, if the Frenchman avoids a booking at home to Leeds on New Year’s Day, the five-card threshold will be reset, meaning he avoids a ban for the trip to Fulham on January 4.
Konate would then have until Matchweek 32 to avoid receiving 10 yellow cards, which would trigger a two-match ban.
Will Liverpool sign a new centre-back in January?
Konate is in a precarious situation, but he will hopefully be smart enough to ensure he gets through the Leeds game unscathed.
But this shows the need for Liverpool to sign another centre-back in the January transfer window as there are currently only two fit options.
However, it seems unlikely that Guehi will be available as the England defender is more likely to leave Crystal Palace on a free transfer at the end of the season.
While he may be the No.1 option for the Reds, they can’t afford to be picky and will have to look at alternative targets next month, potentially also signing Guehi in the summer.
Players such as Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano and Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck are among those loosely linked with a move to Liverpool.
Granted, it’s unlikely that so many top-quality options will become available in January, but the Reds’ recruitment team must find a solution.
It would be remiss not to sign a centre-back, especially as Konate is known to be injury-prone and Van Dijk is now 34 years old.
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