Alexis Mac Allister arrived at Anfield from Brighton last summer but was instantly played in an unfamiliar position by Jurgen Klopp, as Liverpool lacked a natural holding midfielder
Alexis Mac Allister has explained how Jurgen Klopp would defend him from criticism after starting him in the wrong position at Liverpool.
The 25-year-old midfielder arrived at Anfield last summer in a reported £35million deal after spending four years at Brighton. The natural No. 10 has impressed ever since, but Klopp initially threw him in the deep end, playing him in a holding role due to a lack of suitable candidates to fill the position.
This led to some fans lambasting Mac Allister’s performances at his new club, but Klopp would always rush to his defence and be there to support the youngster in his footballing journey. Speaking on The Rest Is Football with Gary Lineker, Mac Allister praised his former boss, explaining: “[He is] very demanding, but as a human being, amazing.
“And I think it’s hard when you are a coach or when you are a player to see that part. But I think when you are a good human being, then everything is easier, and he was very honest. Every time he needed to say the truth, he said it – so that’s a really important thing for me and he was always there to support me.
“I remember at the beginning, we didn’t have a six, so I had to start playing as a six.” When asked what his favourite position is to play by Lineker, Mac Allister added: “It’s hard for me to say, but I like to be in the middle. If I’m in contact with the ball then I’m happy. So yeah, I started as a six last season, and people used to complain or criticize a little bit – and he was always there to support me and defend me, so that was the most important thing for me.”
Mac Allister’s relationship with Klopp was ultimately short-lived, with the manager stepping away from his nine-year tenure at Anfield at the end of the 2023/24 season – although the Argentine received plenty of game time under him. Last season, Mac Allister saw 46 appearances across all competitions, scoring and assisting seven times each.
And it appears as though new boss Arne Slot has also instilled similar levels of faith in the midfielder, deploying him in each of Liverpool’s Premier League fixtures in the current campaign – albeit in a more box-to-box role alongside Ryan Gravenberch.
Liverpool currently sit first in the Premier League standings with 11 wins, two draws and a single loss from their 14 games thus far – seven points clear of second-place Chelsea. The Reds face Everton in the first Merseyside derby of the 2024/25 campaign at Goodison Park on Saturday, with hopes of capitalising on the Toffees’ dismal 3-5-6 start to the season.
