'Unbelievable’ Liverpool star could now lose his starting spot as teammate puts the pressure on - opinion
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Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister has had a tough start to the new season.
The Reds are looking to win back-to-back Premier League titles for the first time in their history, and they have certainly given themselves the best chance to achieve this after their start to the new campaign.
They are the only team to have collected maximum points so far, although they have needed late winners in all of them to get over the line.
Performances all round have not been the best, but there is one player who has had a trickier start than most, although it is not fully his fault.
Alexis Mac Allister has struggled with injuries all summer, and after being eased back into the team, he picked up another knock during their win over Burnley last Sunday.
This meant he did not make the starting XI for the Champions League game, and if another player continues to play the way he is, the Argentine might find it tricky to regain his place.
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Last season, ‘Macca’ was basically an ever-present in Arne Slot’s side and proved to be one of the most integral parts to the team.
However, fast forward to now and he has not played a game yet where he has been fully fit, something that will be a huge concern for the Reds.
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With that said, after he was taken off against Burnley, Dominik Szoboszlai moved from right-back and into midfield, the position he then started in the Champions League.
And as he has done all season, the Hungarian shone and was one of Liverpool’s best players, proving why he should be in the team every week.
Against Atletico in particular, Szoboszlai, quite literally, ran the game, with his contributions key to their success.
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All that Mac Allister could do, though, was watch from the sidelines, with his place in the team now under threat.
Of course, it is a good problem for Slot to have, but if the Argentine cannot get over his injury problems soon, he might see himself drop down the pecking order, with Szoboszlai moving right to the very top.
It feels like a statement that might be said each week if he carries on, but Szoboszlai simply has to play the next game.
The Merseyside derby always throws up some drama, and as the crowd is going to be up for this clash, they need a player who can feed off of them and dictate the game.
With Szoboszlai’s energy, he is the perfect player for this as he can get the crowd up with his tenacity, and they can easily fire him up too.
Against Everton, the midfield battle will be key, and if Mac Allister is not 100 per cent fit, it feels like a no-brainer to start the Hungarian instead.