Michael Owen Slams Ibrahima Konaté After Liverpool’s Costly Defeat to Crystal Palace
Michael Owen has never been shy with his words, and after Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, his harshest criticism was aimed squarely at Ibrahima Konaté. The former Liverpool striker described the French defender’s display as “confusing” and “chaotic,” a performance that exposed the fragility of the Reds’ back line on a night their unbeaten run came to an abrupt end.
Liverpool entered the season as defending champions, but cracks had already begun to show despite five straight league wins. Alisson Becker’s heroics had masked vulnerabilities, and Palace—disciplined, unbeaten in 17 games under Oliver Glasner, and buoyed by their Community Shield win over the Reds—were determined to exploit them.
From kickoff, Konaté looked unsettled. Tasked with partnering Virgil van Dijk, he struggled against Jean-Philippe Mateta’s movement, Ismaila Sarr’s direct runs, and Yeremy Pino’s clever positioning. Palace sensed weakness every time the ball came near him. Their breakthrough came from a corner: Ryan Gravenberch’s poor clearance fell to Sarr, who fired home as Konaté and others froze.
Alisson kept Liverpool in it with a string of saves, but even he couldn’t hide the disarray. “Konaté in the first half didn’t know what he was doing,” Owen said afterwards, adding that this wasn’t an isolated dip but part of a worrying trend.
That trend is dangerous for Liverpool. Giovanni Leoni’s long-term injury has left Arne Slot short of defensive options, meaning Konaté is virtually undroppable despite his struggles. With Joel Matip gone and Joe Gomez inconsistent, the Frenchman’s form could define Liverpool’s season.
The match itself followed a familiar rhythm: Palace relentless, Alisson heroic, Liverpool wasteful. Federico Chiesa’s late equalizer seemed to rescue a point, but in stoppage time chaos from a long throw allowed Eddie Nketiah to strike the decisive blow.
Konaté was not solely responsible for the defeat, yet his display epitomized Liverpool’s fragility. When Palace pressed, he panicked. When Mateta challenged, he faltered. At a club that built its recent success on defensive solidity, this was alarming.
Owen’s words stung because of their bluntness: “He didn’t know what he was doing.” For fans, the reaction is divided—some defend Konaté’s talent and recovery pace, others fear he is becoming a liability. Slot, measured in his response, avoided naming individuals, but privately he will know improvement is urgent.
The loss was more than three points—it was a warning. Palace revealed how to unsettle Liverpool: target Konaté, press aggressively, stifle Salah, frustrate Isak. Other managers will take note.
Liverpool remain in the hunt, but the message from Selhurst Park was clear: their defense is vulnerable, and unless Konaté steadies himself quickly, title hopes could unravel. For now, Owen’s damning verdict hangs heavy—words that may define the defender until he proves otherwise.
