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'Clearly not the idea' - Alexis Mac Allister on Liverpool position change as Premier League rivals sent warning




Wednesday's demolition of Chelsea was the perfect showcase for how matters have changed for the Reds engine room -


Mac Allister was thrust into the role of number six with Liverpool having seen Jordan Henderson and Fabinho follow James Milner out the exit



While the Reds eked out a 1-1 draw, Mac Allister struggled to impose himself.


Worse was to come the following week when the Argentine was controversially dismissed on his home debut against Bournemouth, a red card that was later rescinded.


Klopp had few options other than to continue with Mac Allister as the defensive shield.


Slowly but surely, he began to deliver, culminating in a goal-of-the-season contender in the thrilling 4-3 win over Fulham.


Endo now up to speed, Mac Allister was restored to a more advanced role three days later at Sheffield United - only to suffer a knee problem that kept him out for a month


As Endo then jetted off for the Asia Cup at the start of the year, so Mac Allister returned to fitness

After a superb outing in the 4-0 Premier League at Bournemouth, the World Cup winner posted his best performance of the season in the midweek 4-1 thumping of Chelsea.


No player had more touches, made more accurate passes, won more duels or made more tackles in outstanding all-round individual display by Max Allister


Mac Allister has shrugged off an injury scare at the end of the game when clashing with Chelsea substitute Cesare Casadei -

Mac Allister


"It was knee to knee, basically both knees, but it's good," he says - and is expected to continue as the number six for the Premier League trip to Arsenal this afternoon.


All told, 17 of his 20 Liverpool have been as the defensive midfielder


Not that Mac Allister expected to be a regular in the role when he signed up for Reds duty last June.

Mac Allister said:


"No, not really,"


"It was clearly not the idea. But things changed. At the beginning of the season, we didn't have a proper number six so I had to do the job. Jurgen likes it! So I try to do my best and it's all about helping the team.


I like the way I am playing. I like that I'm helping my team-mates, and if they need any protection. In the position I am playing now, it's more about the defensive things.


"But at the same time I'm able to get on the ball a lot, and I really like it.


"I know that at the beginning the fans were talking a lot about my position in the team, but I always said it was a position I really like and I think I can do it very well."


The Reds have now lost just one of their last 40 games against domestic opponents in all competitions.




Mac Allister added


"It's clear that we have improved a lot now as a team since the beginning of the season


"We are really working hard. You can see that every player who comes into the team knows exactly what they have to do, and it's very important for us to keep the level and then improve the team from there.


"We are really pleased with our performances so far but we know that we've only just gone past the halfway mark in the season. We need to keep going.


"Confidence is very high at the moment. When you beat a team like Chelsea 4-1, it's going to be high. But we expect a very hard game at Arsenal, as it was in the FA Cup.


"It was a very tough game, they have very good players, they know what they want to do and have a clear idea of what they need to do.


"Will they want a reaction from that defeat? Maybe. But, as I said, they are a very good team anyway. They don't have to show any sort of reaction to what happened."

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