Sky reporter saw Ibrahima Konate fuming with Liverpool teammate inside first minute v Bournemouth | OneFootball

Virgil van Dijk is no stranger to cajoling and scolding his Liverpool teammates if they switch off during matches, and Ibrahima Konate appears to have learned from his centre-back partner in that regard.

The Reds are taking on an in-form Bournemouth side at the Vitality Stadium this afternoon in search of the victory which’d establish an overnight nine-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

However, there was a very early scare for the visitors on the south coast – so early, in fact, that it came straight from the kick-off.

Konate fumes at Trent over early error

The ball was worked back to Trent Alexander-Arnold, who had his pocked picked by Antoine Semenyo as the Cherries attacker pressed straight from the first whistle.

The Ghanaian surged forward and cut inside before warming Alisson Becker’s gloves with a shot on target inside the first 10 seconds.

Sky Sports reporter Ben Grounds has been posting live updates from the Vitality Stadium, and in describing that early chance for Bournemouth, he posted (15:01): “Not the start Alexander-Arnold wanted in that battle with Semenyo. Konate was furious with him for his slackness. Ten seconds on the clock. Early wake-up call.”

(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Liverpool can’t afford to be so slack against Bournemouth

Trent’s lapse in concentration right at the start of the match won’t do anything to dispel the constant narrative from pundits such as Roy Keane about his perceived defensive deficiencies, and a few minutes later he gifted the Cherries another chance with a botched headed clearance.

Van Dijk has lambasted the 26-year-old on the pitch on previous occasions, but this time it was Konate who issued the verbal warning to his teammate after a less than convincing first quarter-hour on the south coast.

These are the kind of lapses that Liverpool can’t afford against a dangerous Bournemouth side who stuck five goals past Nottingham Forest last weekend, and the Reds need no reminding as to how good Nuno Espirito Santo’s team have been this season.

The visitors got away with that early scare against the Cherries, who don’t require such charity to pose difficulties for the Premier League leaders. Let’s hope Arne Slot’s playes learn from that first-minute error.