Can Victor Osimhen be latest beneficiary of Liverpool’s distracted titan Konaté?

Victor Osimhen could scarcely have picked a better time to stalk history in the Champions League.

One more goal takes him clear of Obafemi Martins as Nigeria’s top scorer in the competition. Before him on Tuesday is a Liverpool defence that looks one shove away from collapse, with Ibrahima Konaté looking particularly affected by speculation linking him to Real Madrid on a free transfer next summer.

In the Reds' 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace on Saturday at Selhurst Park, Jean-Philippe Mateta made a mess of his fellow Frenchman. He bullied him, unsettled him, and forced errors time and again. That performance summed up Konaté’s season so far: distracted, nervy, unsure of himself.

Can Victor Osimhen be latest beneficiary of Liverpool’s distracted titan Konaté? — Photo by IMAGO

Osimhen, held in reserve for this fixture since resuming training following his injury during the last international break, does not need ninety minutes of service to make an impact, as history has shown time and again. He lives on scraps, and feeds on hesitation; Konaté has been offering up those moments on a plate. Tuesday night at Rams Park might simply boil down to one duel: striker with a point to prove against centre-half with a mind elsewhere.

Osimhen’s record in the UEFA Champions League

There is obviously the question of sharpness. The 2023 CAF Player of the Year has played just five minutes of football since hobbling off in Nigeria’s qualifier earlier this month. That said, if he is even remotely close to match ready, he will be aiming to add to his Champions League tally.

Victor Osimhen gives vote of thanks to Galatasaray: 'They helped me flex on my haters' — Photo by IMAGO

So far, he has nine goals in the competition already, spread across Lille and Napoli. Two in France, seven in Italy. That haul equals Martins. One more, and Osimhen becomes the first Nigerian to hit double figures in Europe’s elite competition. Interestingly, he would also move to within three goals of Martins in all European club competitions.

The names on his hit list are heavy: Chelsea, Valencia, Ajax, Eintracht Frankfurt, AC Milan, Sporting Braga, Barcelona.

Osimhen, then, walks into Tuesday night with a clear opportunity. Liverpool have kept just two clean sheets all season, Konaté looks rattled, and the Nigerian requires only a single moment to turn an unsettled defence into a headline. The stage is set.