Anfield Nights
Where does one even begin? It’s just a glorious night at Anfield. The Kop is decked out in one of the greatest shows of unity and solidarity that I’ve seen all season. The message of the signage and material is loud and clear: believe in the squad, believe in the manager, believe in the club.
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“New Liverpool” Against Newcastle
We go down thanks to a sly strike by Anthony Gordon, only to come roaring back by the end of the half, a level of recovery we haven’t seen in ages. Yet another brace from Hugo “The Orthodontist” Ekitike. It’s made all the sweeter by Ekitike’s display of Red Pride in the run-up to the game, and again in his celebrations. Another Wirtz goal, this time brilliantly assisted by Mohamed Salah. With that assist, Salah breaks yet another record, becoming the first player in Premier League history to record double-digit goals and assists against a single opponent, and his goal involvements at Anfield are the highest at a single ground. Even on an off season, Salah is still a legend.
Isak is unfortunately benched in the matchup against his former club, but his absolutely delighted expressions in the face of Ekitike’s goals say everything. Curtis Jones once again shows that he’s willing to throw down for the shirt as he nearly comes to blows over Dan Burn’s ridiculous challenge against Cody Gakpo. Milos Kerkez is not far behind, having to be pulled away by Federico Chiesa, ever the voice of composure. The Italian himself put on a clinic, once again proving that he’ll make the most of every second he’s on the grass. Szoboszlai is once again a terror as a substitute right back. Endo gets subbed on for the first time in what feels like forever, and keeps us stable as always.
Our midfield looks phenomenal, our defense looks sharp, and we look like we’re in control of every moment. It’s what a match at Anfield is supposed to feel like.
With A Heavy Heart
The story of the night, however, has to be Ibrahima Konate. Ibou was missing from Marseille, Bournemouth, and Qarabag due to the death of his father, Hamady. He had to see to the funeral, but was assured by the manager that he could take time for bereavement. Still, seeing the ranks of our defenders thinned out due to injury, Konate pushed himself to come back anyway. He appears with a shaved head, a sign from a devout Muslim that he intends to get closer to God. If there was any question of whether he was ready to return, it was quickly answered by easily the finest defensive performances of the season.
Konate has been all over the place this season, but against Newcastle, he was solid, patient, and precise. There was a focus and hunger in him that I haven’t seen all season. His partnership with Milos Kerkez was immense, rendering Newcastle’s left flank completely powerless. And then, at the very end, a corner. Ibou nearly has it in, but gets it close enough for another corner. This second corner is all his. He chips it in, delivering his first goal of the season and second goal of his Liverpool career. It’s a slow, low ball that the keeper scrambles after on hands and knees but can’t quite get. It’s as though the ball was guided by the hand of God.
The mood was jubilant. The squad crowds him, cheering him towards the Kop. Ibou himself is reduced to tears. He pounds his badge with pride, declaring to the world that he’s a Liverpool man. It’s a defining moment for the player and the club.
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This is a feeling we’ve been missing this season. It has been disillusioning to a monumental degree to see the fanbase so thoroughly cannibalized by negativity. But the fact that we’re still capable of nights fills me with hope. I remember Konate’s tribute to Diogo Jota after we played Wolves, as he celebrated what was, at the time, a 4-match win streak. “I’m happy the last few games have been better, and Inshallah we will kick on in 2026… and remember, enjoy every moment of this life.”
It may not have been the winner, but our first win of 2026 will forever be defined by that moment that Konate produced. And that’s what it’s about. It’s about producing those moments that define our lives. Losing a parent is devastating, especially so early in life. Trust me, I know. About 4 years ago, Ibou remarked that his father was not healthy enough to watch him play in person, but followed his career obsessively on TV. Konate once described his career as a footballer as the fulfillment of a mission given to him by his father: “become a good person”. The sacrifice he made to be on the pitch at Anfield tonight can only be called a manifestation of that mission. That goal, and Konate’s game-defining performance, are a gift from Hamady Konate. One can only imagine how important that goal was to Ibou.
Everyone’s reason for loving the game is different, but sometimes we need to remember that’s what matters: love of the game. I want more nights like this at Anfield, matches where we play beautifully and successfully. But more than that, I want them to mean something. We’ll lose and draw again, certainly. But we’ll always be Liverpool. That’s gotta mean something.