Gerrard and Carragher blast ‘disastrous’ Konate Paris nightmare

Liverpool’s dismal night in Paris has sparked fierce criticism from club icons Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, who singled out Ibrahima Konaté for a season they believe has fallen well below expectations.

The Reds were comfortably beaten 2-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the French capital, a scoreline that arguably flattered the visitors given the gulf in quality on display.

Désiré Doué opened the scoring with a deflected effort in the first half before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia added a second after the break, leaving Liverpool with a daunting task ahead of the return leg.

What will concern manager Arne Slot even more is the manner of the defeat. Liverpool failed to register a single shot on target and were second-best in virtually every department, with their defensive organisation repeatedly exposed by PSG’s fluid attacking play.

In the aftermath, Gerrard did not hold back in his assessment of Konaté’s display, pointing to the defender’s struggles in individual duels and his role in a backline that appeared disjointed throughout the contest.

“He could have put in a stronger performance against Doué… but it’s clear that Paris Saint-Germain threw them off their game,” Gerrard said. “Konaté had to perform better to win his duel. Look at the defence now, it’s completely out of sync.”

Carragher echoed those sentiments and broadened the criticism to encompass the defender’s entire campaign, suggesting that recurring errors have undermined Liverpool’s ambitions this season.

“His performances have been disastrous all season, and once again it was poor tonight. He makes a mistake in every game,” Carragher remarked.

The scrutiny comes at a delicate moment for Konaté, whose current contract is set to expire at the end of the season.

Reports have linked the French international with a potential move to Real Madrid, raising further uncertainty over his future at Anfield.