Alexis Mac Allister insists he will not take the easy way out, as he adapts to a new Liverpool role as a defensive midfielder.
The Argentine midfielder came under fire for an inconsistent performance at former club Brighton at the weekend, where his defensive howler gifted the Seagulls their opening goal. And Mac Allister also seemed to be put under serious pressure by his former team-mates in midfield, as the home side constantly set traps to drag the 24-year-old out of the defensive position he was supposed to take up.
Yet even though he had never played as a number six before he arrived at Anfield, and he admits it is not his position, the World Cup winner will not demand that boss Jurgen Klopp gives up on the experiment.
“I like it, I like it,” he said of the defensive midfielder role. “I’ve said it many times, for me it’s easy to say, ‘No, it’s not my position and I do the best I can.’ But it’s not like that. Jurgen is playing me there, he is giving me his support and I try to do the best I can.
“I think I improved a lot in the last couple of years defensively and I think it’s a job that I can do very well. I feel good and I feel that my team-mates and the coaching staff are supporting me. That’s important.”
Mac Allister did concede that he was at fault for Brighton’s opening goal, but after a tough first half he improved positionally, and he believes that typifies the character Liverpool have shown this season.
The Reds rebounded to lead by half-time, and even though they conceded another set piece goal to eventually draw, they are only three points off top spot in the Premier League, and a single point behind champions Manchester City.
The Argentina international is confident it is a position his team can maintain. “We are Liverpool and we know that we have to be up there,” he said to Liverpoolfc.com.
“I think our start to the season was good, but at the same time we know that we can improve and we can grow a little bit more. That’s what we will try to do.
“Now we’ve got an international break and then we will be back. We will keep working and try to win football games. That’s what we want.”
