‘3,000%’ – Ibou Konate has noticed one thing about ‘every team’ Liverpool have faced this season | OneFootball

Ibrahima Konate has noticed a trend among opposition teams which often makes life more ‘difficult’ for Liverpool.

The Reds go into tonight’s Merseyside derby nine points clear at the top of the Premier League having played one match fewer than second-placed Arsenal, with Arne Slot still tasting defeat in the English top flight only once (against high-flying Nottingham Forest nearly seven months ago).

Despite that imperious record, the Merseysiders have frequently had to secure victory the hard way, often coming from behind to claim all three points after being roused by the concession of the opening goal.

Konate says teams give ‘3,000%’ when facing Liverpool

Speaking to Sky Sports Premier League ahead of the match against Everton, who sit 15th in the table but held Liverpool to a hot-tempered draw in February, Konate suggested that teams invest a greater than usual effort when coming up against the Reds.

The Frenchman said: “For me, the difference is how hard it is to win when you are Liverpool. When we watch the data, every team when they play against us runs more [than usual].

“When you play against Liverpool, every team has a special motivation – ‘The world is watching this game and if I do something special today, maybe my career can change’.

“I respect every team, but I think it’s difficult for Liverpool because, when you play against every team, all of them give 3,000% compared to when they’re playing against other teams sometimes. That’s why it’s more difficult for us, I think, and it’s a good challenge as well.”

(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Liverpool can expect teams to raise their game against them

Given Liverpool’s status as commanding Premier League leaders, it’s natural that teams would have to raise their game in order to give themselves the best possible chance of securing a result and taking a notable scalp.

That comes with the territory of being in the Reds’ enviable position, and for all but one of Konate’s four seasons on Merseyside, he’s been playing with a team involved in the title race for most or all of the campaign.

Slot has often commented on sides in the lower end of the English top flight being far tougher to beat than their positional equivalents in the Eredivisie, and it’s striking that the current bottom two (Leicester and Southampton) both took the lead in their respective visits to Anfield before losing 3-1.

The Saints also led during Liverpool’s trip to St Mary’s in November, which wasn’t lost on our head coach prior to the reverse fixture last month, and the Reds had to work much harder to win at that venue than many other teams who cruised to emphatic victories (Chelsea, Spurs, Brighton and Brentford all won by four goals or more).

Whether that’s down to a subconscious complacency from the league leaders, an increased effort from sides at the wrong end of the table, or a combination of both is difficult to quantify, but it’s to be expected that opponents will raise their game when taking on the team at the top of the table.

As Konate knows all too well, Everton won’t need any added motivation tonight, so Slot’s side will need to be prepared for that and to outwork and (most crucially) outscore their local rivals.