Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been urged to reconsider the best use of summer signing Alexis Mac Allister, with the player putting in another disjointed performance and being sent off at half-time in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Wolves.
The Merseysiders spent £145.2m on midfield reinforcements last summer, with World Cup winner Mac Allister the first of their arrivals in what looked to be a £35m deal from Brighton.
However, the 24-year-old has had a difficult start to his Anfield career. After seeing red on his home debut against Bournemouth – although the decision was later overturned on appeal – Mac Allister was sent off at half-time at Molineux on Saturday, with Liverpool fortunate to be only 1-0 down at half-time to stay standing. .
Klopp has since admitted that Mac Allister was at the heart of Liverpool’s abysmal first 45 minutes, suggesting the Argentine – who was already on the card list – would have been happy to walk away.
In fact, there are extenuating circumstances for Saturday’s tired performance, for example. And given Klopp had only returned to Britain early on Friday morning after Argentina’s high-flying match against Bolivia, he had probably made a mistake in using Mac Allister from the start against Gary’s side O’Neil.
Tony Cascarino now believes there are other reasons for the Argentinian’s poor performances with the Reds.
And as Klopp struggles to best align his new midfielder, particularly with Dominik Szoboszlai quickly making an impact, the pundit believes Mac Allister will be asked to play out of position.
Therefore, it is believed that Mac Allister’s poor start to his Liverpool career is due to him. Klopp said he is ruining Mac Allister with Liverpool selections
Cascarino, evaluating his poor performances at Molineux, admits that he feels a lot of sympathy for the player, who in his opinion must play too deep.
“Liverpool were terrible in the first half and looked lackluster,” Cascarino told talkSPORT.
“I said before about jet lag: [Alexis] Mac Allister clearly had jet lag. I know he came back Friday morning and played for Argentina, but he looked legless and lifeless and couldn’t move on the pitch.
“He was often caught with the ball in the first half. “I wouldn’t want to play Mac Allister that deep. It’s a bit like Thiago [Alcantara].
“Thiago is a fantastic footballer and when he plays for Liverpool and moves the game forward, I don’t want him to be the protection in front of the back four.
“And when he sits really deep and hangs on to the ball, a bit like Casemiro.
“Mac Allister, his strength is not in tackling, so I think he stays in that position by just getting the ball from the back four and starting to use it.”
“I think that created its own problem. I don’t want to see Mac Allister in a Liverpool shirt too often.
Mac Allister names Liverpool’s two strongest players
However, Mac Allister is undoubtedly a good player, having thrived as a number 8 for Brighton last season, contributing to 12 goals. He also plays for his country as number 8, with permission to go forward and join attacks.
However, at Liverpool, Liverpool are blessed with several attacking stars, meaning Mac Allister will be asked to guard the defense.
Clearly the tactic isn’t working and makes him look like a bad signing, even though he absolutely isn’t.
Mac Allister, meanwhile, had no difficulty naming the two Liverpool stars who he says are among the strongest he has ever played against.
Asked by Goal to name the strongest Liverpool player, Mac Allister replied: “I would say Mo [Salah] or [Kostas] Tsimikas.”
And when asked to explain why he chose Salah, he added: “Oh yes. He’s in the gym all day, so he’s very strong.
Salah himself admitted that he has two rooms in his house dedicated solely to fitness.
Last season, he said:
“Two rooms in our house are dedicated to various fitness and bodybuilding equipment.
I can also do cryotherapy at home, there is a hyperbaric chamber. I am constantly trying to improve my physical condition.
“It’s true that I like to say that my house looks like a hospital, [but] my wife doesn’t like it! [She] says I spend more time with my cars than with her!
When I treat myself to a great restaurant in London, I prefer sushi. I eat pizza at most once a month. I love burgers, but I almost never eat them because I feel heavy afterwards!”
