Liverpool fans were left worried about Alexis Mac Allister after the midfielder appeared to struggle during the match against Burnley. Some feared he had picked up an injury, but manager Arne Slot has confirmed that the issue is down to fitness rather than a serious knock.
Slot explained that Mac Allister is still building up his conditioning after missing much of pre-season. “He can manage one game a week for 70 to 90 minutes, but not three full matches in seven days,” the Liverpool boss said. “Against Argentina, he lasted 90 but was already tired after 70.”
The manager revealed it was always the plan to substitute him around the 60-minute mark to keep him fresh for upcoming fixtures. However, managing substitutions during the match added complexity, as Slot had already used one change earlier.
A heavy tackle also left Mac Allister limping, but he insisted he was fine to continue. Slot admitted this showed more of the player’s mentality than his physical readiness.
In the end, the decision to replace him was a mix of precaution and tactics. “Protecting him while bringing Dominik [Szoboszlai] into midfield gave us more attacking options,” Slot added.
