Liverpool manager Slot hoping Konate avoided serious arm injury after coming off in 'a lot of pain'

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

Konate walked off the field grimacing in pain and using his shirt as a makeshift sling for his left arm after teammate Virgil van Dijk seemed to accidentally step on his forearm after a corner.

Slot said it was too early to assess the severity of the injury but was hoping the defender would not need a lengthy layoff.

“We don’t know yet. He had a lot of pain, but he hasn’t been to the hospital yet, and maybe it is not even necessary to go to the hospital, I don’t know," Slot said at his post-game news conference. “It is always difficult to judge an injury in the first hour or first 10 minutes after it happens. Let’s hope he can be with us as soon as possible because he had a big impact on our season until now."

Konate has been one of Liverpool's best players so far this season, with the comeback win over Brighton putting Slot's team in first place in the Premier League, two points ahead of Manchester City.