Ex-Reds defender names two players who have ‘big problems’ at Liverpool

Lewis Oldham
Liverpool defender Konate

Former Liverpool defender Markus Babbel has suggested that Ibrahima Konate and Naby Keita have had “big problems” since moving to England.

Konate and Keita both signed for Liverpool from German outfit RB Leipzig. The latter has been with the Reds since 2018.

Keita joined Liverpool for around £48m. He has been a bit-part player over the past few seasons as he has only played 68 times in the Premier League.


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Konate meanwhile made the move to Liverpool ahead of the 2021/22 campaign. He has played a supporting role for much of this season as Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip have been favoured by Jurgen Klopp.

Babbel played for Liverpool between 2000 and 2004. He believes Konate and Keita have found it “very difficult” since leaving Leipzig:

“It’s really amazing when you look at the recent transfers from RB Leipzig. Whether it was a Keita or a Konate to Liverpool, both have big problems there. And now also [Dayot] Upamecano,” Babbel said (via Liverpool Echo).

“With Marcel Sabitzer, you could think that the Sabitzer in Munich is a twin brother of the Sabitzer in Leipzig. Sometimes you think he’s never played football. These guys all find it very difficult when they leave Leipzig because they have their own style of play there.”

Elsewhere, Paul Merson has claimed that Manchester City will beat Liverpool and subsequently win the league by ‘double digits’:

“Manchester City win the league by double digits if they beat Liverpool at the Etihad – but it all depends on one player,” Merson wrote in his Daily Star column.

“If midfielder Kevin De Bruyne plays well until the end of the season I think City win it comfortably because the Belgium international just knits everything together.

“He makes everybody in the at City side play in my opinion.

“I think Pep Guardiola has a big role to play too with the team he picks.

“City were dominating Crystal Palace the other night but he never makes a substitution. Not one sub! And they have a gifted squad there.

“Surely you bring on fresh legs to take on tired defenders who have spent all game up against it, and you finish them off. But he didn’t, and they drew the game and opened the door for Liverpool to make a real race of it again.

“Sometimes I just think Pep makes it too complicated for himself. It was the same in the Champions League final and the team he picked then.”