Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp has had to cope without Spanish midfielder Thiago Alcântara for a long time. It appears that his heir will be receiving an update.
At Anfield, Alexis Mac Allister is rising to fame extremely swiftly. Since the beginning of the year, the Argentina international has astounded Liverpool supporters with his performances, prompting many to declare him the season’s best addition.
It’s difficult to choose his finest moment to far, but his effort on Saturday against Brighton is unquestionably in the running. In a very magnificent display of his abilities, he added another assist to his total.
That he has settled in this way over the past few months is not shocking. After Wataru Endō took over the defensive midfield job, Mac Allister is playing in his favorite position and thriving in the engine room. This may raise doubts about Jürgen Klopp’s choice to start him at number six earlier in the season.
The Liverpool manager has rarely made a mistake in his tenure at Anfield, and the team’s supporters are well aware that they shouldn’t question his tactical decisions. But there were some questions raised when he started the season with Mac Allister playing at the base of his midfield.
More than the Argentine’s suitability for the position, necessity drove this decision. Though to be fair, he didn’t exactly embarrass himself in the job, and Klopp wasn’t overly concerned that Mac Allister would play the part for the entire season.
Is Macca a natural-born six? he asked, before of November’s tie with Manchester City. No. Has football evolved in recent years in ways that we never could have predicted? Indeed. Is it implied that a player such as Macca can perform the six? Without a doubt.
“Do you want a player there who just knocks people down and says, ‘It’s not my job, give me a break,’ when we have possession?” We have a fantastic passer in the center of the field who is also very intelligent.”
Even though he started out in a different position, Mac Allister has since proven Klopp correct. The 25-year-old, who Liverpool may be saying goodbye to this summer, has shown himself to be a man for all seasons in the midfield.
Few football players in the world can distribute the ball as well as Thiago Alcântara. He was correctly hailed as Xavi and Xabi Alonso’s possible successor in Spain, and in 2020, he would provide some poise and serenity to Klopp’s heavy metal football.
After joining from Bayern Munich, he is known for setting a Premier League passing record against Chelsea on his debut. Since since, he has given Liverpool fans countless masterclasses. And although Klopp has a plethora of choices in midfield currently, Mac Allister and Thiago seem to have the most similar profiles.
Both are capable of controlling a game, and they both have passing ranges that are unmatched in the majority of the Premier League.
However, Mac Allister may be a “different animal entirely” from his Anfield colleague, according to BBC commentator Garth Crooks.
In the victory over Bournemouth in January, Crooks praised the 25-year-old as “absolutely superb,” but he also stated, “I never thought Thiago worked there, as even when he played well, he slowed the team’s tempo to almost walking pace.” With superb passing, Mac Allister advances the ball while maintaining Liverpool’s play speed. He’s a fantastic player at an incredible value.”
The evaluation of Mac Allister’s performance and the $45 million (£35 million/€41 million) transfer was accurate, but Thiago’s criticism seemed unfair. It’s evident that the Spaniard’s skills are still in demand considering how highly valued players like Paul Scholes are for managing the speed. When it comes to the field, Thiago is anything from a nuisance.
But Thiago hasn’t been available enough, which is a clear difference between Liverpool’s midfield conductors. He has only played a few minutes for Arsenal this season due to a string of injury issues, and it appears that this may be his final game for the Reds.
Given that Thiago’s contract expires this summer and he will turn 33 in April, it looks like this may be his last season with the team. Liverpool may already have somewhat of an upgrade in Mac Allister.
