Alexis Mac Allister needed to be substituted at half-time in Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Burnley this afternoon, prompting an damage scare for Reds followers in the beginning of a 21-day interval during which we play seven matches.
The 26-year-old required remedy on the pitch after being on the unsuitable finish of a late problem from Lesley Ugochukwu, who duly acquired the primary of his two yellow playing cards at Turf Moor in the present day.
The Argentina worldwide shook off the physique blow for the rest of the primary half however didn’t reappear after the interval, with Conor Bradley approaching and Dominik Szoboszlai duly transferring into midfield.
Slot defined after the match why he made the change at half-time reasonably than giving Mac Allister any additional alternative to run off the knock, and the Liverpool head coach downplayed any worries over a long-lasting damage for the Reds’ quantity 10.
Slot explains Mac Allister substitution
The top coach mentioned (by way of liverpoolfc.com): “He missed lots of pre-season, so he’s prepared for one sport every week, possibly [for] 70 to 90 [minutes]. He performed 90 for Argentina and he was actually drained after 70.
“He doesn’t have the fitting build-up in direction of enjoying three video games every week for 90 minutes, so it was all the time certain in the present day that I’d take him off after 60 minutes for him to have the ability to be again on the pitch once more on Wednesday and for him to be on Saturday again on the pitch once more.
“I had already made one substitution within the first half, so if I then take him off at 60 minutes that might be my second one. If I then wish to make [another sub on] 75, then in the long run I can do nothing anymore.
“That, mixed with the very fact the sort out was a sort out he felt – and I’m not shocked by the very fact he felt that sort out, by the best way – it was a mixture of each. He mentioned it was nice and ok to go on, though he limped rather a lot, in order that was extra his mentality I believe than it was he may truly carry out at his finest for quarter-hour longer.
“The mix of him being injured and me not eager to lose the second substitution after 60 minutes led to it – and us not enjoying so effectively, by the best way. Bringing Dom [Szoboszlai] to the midfield, extra gamers that may assault the field… lots of arguments and [it was] partly tactical.”
Mac Allister needs to be nice for Wednesday, it appears
With Liverpool going through Atletico Madrid and Everton within the subsequent six days, and Mac Allister enjoying the whole thing of Argentina’s match in Ecuador at excessive altitude earlier within the week, managing the 26-year-old’s health would’ve been essential even when it weren’t for Ugochukwu’s sturdy problem on him.
It was additionally wise from Slot to make the change at half-time reasonably than utilizing one other substitution window, having already changed Milos Kerkez earlier than the interval to forestall the chance of the Hungarian choosing up a second yellow card.
Fortunately, it sounds from the top coach’s post-match feedback as if the Reds’ quantity 10 wasn’t in any nice discomfort following the Burnley participant’s sort out on him, and his availability for our Champions League opener on Wednesday may very well be pivotal.
With this being the primary intense chunk of video games within the 2025/26 season, the Liverpool boss shall be aware of not overloading his gamers by way of minutes, particularly anybody who’s carrying even a slight knock.
Hopefully Mac Allister received’t undergo any lasting antagonistic results from in the present day and he’ll once more line up alongside Ryan Gravenberch (who was excellent at Turf Moor) when Atletico Madrid come to Anfield in midweek.
