Alexis Mac Allister completes Liverpool selection as Arne Slot faces nervous wait
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The list has been finalised of Liverpool players featuring in the forthcoming World Cup in North AmericaLiverpool will officially be represented by 11 players at the start of the forthcoming World Cup - with Arne Slot now facing a nervous summer.But that number is guaranteed to dwindle midway through the tournament regardless of which countries progress to the last 16 of the knockout stages.Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah became the final two Reds players to be called up for the finals in North America - which begin in less than a fortnight - after being named in the 26-man Argentina and Egypt squads respectively.Of course, Pharaohs skipper Salah will formally leave Liverpool in the coming weeks having announced his departure on a free transfer with expected interest from Saudi Pro League and MLS clubs.Andy Robertson, who will captain Scotland at the World Cup, is also leaving when his contract expires at the end of next month, while a failure to agree a new deal with Ibrahima Konate means the defender, part of the France squad, is poised to exit in a similar manner.It means Liverpool will have eight players at the tournament who will be expected to be part of Slot's pre-season preparations, which include a tour to the United States in late July for games against Sunderland, Leeds United and Wrexham.Three are in the Holland squad, with Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo selected by Dutch boss Ronald Koeman, although Jeremie Frimpong is not involved.The trio will come up against Wataru Endo's Japan and Alexander Isak's Sweden in Group F, along with Tunisia, with Mac Allister's Argentina in Group J, where they face Austria, Algeria and Jordan.Alisson Becker is in the Brazil squad for games against Haiti, Morocco and Scotland in Group C, and Florian Wirtz is with Germany in Group E where they face Curacao, Ecaudor and Ivory Coast.Curtis Jones and Joe Gomez were overlooked by England meaning Liverpool have no representation for the Three Lions at a major tournament for the first time since 1986.Rio Ngumoha, though, has been called up by Thomas Tuchel to be part of the pre-tournament training camp which jets out to Miami on Monday, with the 17-year-old winger potentially taking part in friendlies against New Zealand next Saturday and Costa Rica four days later.Vitezslav Jaros, who spent the season on loan at Ajax, was likely to have been included in the Czechia squad but for the serious knee injury that ended his campaign in February.With 48 countries having qualified, most leading clubs will have major representation at the tournament, although Liverpool's tally, while more than the seven they had in Qatar four years ago, is still short of the 12 selected in 2010 and 2014.And some of their main Premier League rivals have been greater affected with the majority of World Cup squads now confirmed ahead of Monday's deadline.Manchester City have 18 players - although Bernardo Silva and John Stones will leave this summer - while Arsenal have 15 and Manchester United, including the departing Casemiro, 11. Surprisingly, Conference League winners Crystal Palace have 12 players involved.FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE!
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