Jurgen Klopp has a number of selection decisions to make ahead of Liverpool's Champions League final with Real Madrid this weekend. Many of them are associated with availability, with Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara facing late fitness tests.
However, two players who are raring to play and will be battling for the same spot in the team are Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate. Only one of the pair will be able to partner Virgil van Dijk in Paris on Saturday night.
It remains to be seen as to who Klopp will select to start, but October's clash with Manchester United could offer an insight into the decision. Old Trafford hosted the Klopp's men at the time and as a result of the strengths held by the Red Devils, the German coach made specific adjustments to his side.
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After previously starting Matip for most of the campaign, the Reds boss made the decision to introduce Konate in his place, which surprised many supporters given the form of the Cameroonian defender.
Although the two teammates are relatively similar, they each offer their own unique perks when on the field, with Matip renowned for his passing, dribbling and carrying in comparison to his peers.
Konate, by contrast, isn't inclined to be as adventurous on the ball, but he's particularly strong when engaging in one-on-one duels with unpredictable opponents.
Standing around 6-foot-4, the Frenchman is physical and imposing but much like Van Dijk, he's also quick enough to manage wide open spaces without support against the large majority of forwards.
His valuable defensive qualities took centre stage in Manchester seven months ago, as Liverpool had previously suffered at the hands of United's left side, particularly due to the speed and directness of Marcus Rashford.
Trent Alexander-Arnold had encountered difficulties against Rashford in the past and once considering the left-sided preference of Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Pogba, Jadon Sancho and Luke Shaw, Konate's defensive game was deemed to be suitable for the match.
After 90 minutes of competition, Liverpool won the contest 5-0. The 22 year-old defender prospered alongside Van Dijk, and United failed to pose as much of a threat from start to finish.
Ahead of Saturday's European final, Vinicius Junior will rightfully be considered as one of the primary threats for the Reds to manage.
Across Europe's top five leagues this season, only two players completed more dribbles than the Brazilian in Kylian Mbappe and Allan Saint-Maximin. Moreover, no player amassed more carries into the penalty box than Vinicius, and he also found the net 17 times in La Liga.
When the tricky youngster faced Liverpool in Spain last season, he was largely responsible for their exit from the tournament after scoring two goals while causing persistent problems for Alexander-Arnold.
His pace was harnessed by Madrid at the time, as the likes of Toni Kroos regularly attempted to find him with lofted passes over Liverpool's high defensive line.
The danger posed by Vinicius is vaguely comparable to that of Rashford, which is why Konate could be deemed as a tactical solution for the upcoming bout.
Regardless of who he selects, Klopp has two elite options to choose from as he looks to secure his club's seventh Champions League crown.
