Alexis Mac Allister injury news as Arne Slot explains Liverpool problem

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Alexis Mac Allister during a Liverpool training session.(Image: Nikki Dyer - Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Arne Slot says he is hopeful Alexis Mac Allister will be able to return for Liverpool when they host Arsenal on Sunday at Anfield.

The Argentina international missed out during Monday's 3-2 win over Newcastle United after withdrawing from training earlier this week and Slot claimed the issue would not normally have been considered a serious concern had he enjoyed the benefit of a full pre-season.

However, Mac Allister, who missed the last games of the 24/25 campaign, only came back to action for the Community Shield earlier this month and Slot has been careful not to overexert his midfielder as a result.



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The Reds boss, though, is optimistic the former Brighton & Hove Albion star can make his comeback when Mikel Arteta's Gunners visit Merseyside.

"We are hoping, yeah," Slot said after Monday's game at St James' Park.

Then it is a risk if you bring a player who didn't have a proper pre-season, in this environment, with such a long season to go, it was too much of a risk for me.

But I am hoping, I am hoping things improve in the next one or two days so he is available for Sunday."

Liverpool won the game in the 100th minute through Rio Ngumoha, who struck on his Premier League debut just minutes after emerging as a late substitute after Bruno Guimaraes and Will Osula had cancelled out Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike's goals.

Asked if he was disappointed how the 10 men of Newcastle were allowed back into the game after Anthony Gordon had been sent off in first-half stoppage time, Slot added: "No, not at all because that is what their playing-style brought.

"You cannot control the game if every single ball is thrown into your 18-yard box; every throw-in is a long throw; every free-kick they get is a long ball.

They can play out from the back and they can be intense in their pressing, they have so many quality players, but they also have the quality to play like this, with so many big players.

"So you cannot control the game in these set pieces.

Of course it helps a little bit to have an extra man in set pieces but if the goalkeeper takes the ball, there is no use having an extra player anymore.

"It was impossible for us to control the game but we had it for quite long and I was hoping for us to do more, to create more, but we were not patient enough.

So no we couldn't control the game better because that was down to their playing style."

Slot started Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back due to Jeremie Frimpong's hamstring injury and the fact Conor Bradley only recently returned to training and the Reds' boss was delighted with the Hungary captain, whose clever dummy helped set up the last-gasp winner for Ngumoha from Mohamed Salah's pass.

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"Yeah talking about mentality, I think it is not easy to play as a full-back if you have only been a midfielder in your career," Slot said.