Liverpool manager Slot hopes Konate has avoided serious arm injury after going off in ‘a lot of pain’

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Liverpool manager Arne Slot hopes center back Ibrahima Konate has avoided serious injury despite being in “a lot of pain” when he came off at halftime of Saturday’s 2-1 win over of Brighton with an apparent arm injury. .

Konate came off the pitch grimacing in pain and using his shirt as a makeshift sling for his left arm after team-mate Virgil van Dijk appeared to accidentally step on his forearm following a corner.

Slot said it’s too early to assess the severity of the injury, but he hopes the quarterback won’t need a long layoff.

“We don’t know yet. He was in a lot of pain, but he hasn’t been to the hospital yet, and maybe he doesn’t even need to go to the hospital, I don’t know,” Slot said at the post-match press conference. “It’s always difficult to judge an injury in the first hour or 10 minutes after it happens. Hopefully he can be with us as soon as possible because he’s had a big impact on our season so far.”

Konate has been one of Liverpool’s best players so far this season, with comeback win over Brighton putting Slot’s side top of the Premier League, two points ahead of Manchester City. ___

AP Football: