Liverpool ceded territory in the Premier League for the second successive weekend, but it’s not all doom and gloom. The Reds might have squandered the opportunity to set the pace before the October international break but results elsewhere have stirred up a compelling early title race.
Last weekend, having lost late to Tottenham Hotspur, Jurgen Klopp’s side knew they had been hard done by but against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, the only culprits for receiving one point stood on the AMEX Stadium pitch.
Brighton are a tricky customer and to head back to Merseyside with a draw is not the worst conclusion in the world, especially given that Arsenal and Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs are only three points ahead in the driving seat.
Klopp also knows that his ambitious outfit will enjoy a favourable run of opponents in the English top flight before the daunting trip to the Etihad Stadium to take on Manchester City at the end of November.
With Europa League football the order of the day for Liverpool after a dreadful 2022/23 campaign bred rotten fruits, there is an apt opportunity for squad rotation, and while the tantalising rhythm of the Champions League’s beat teases the Anfield side, early seasonal progress suggests a top-four finish is more than attainable.
Frankly, last season’s demise was a result of the mouldering midfield that had been untouched for too long; once prosperous, intense, unrelenting, the likes of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and James Milner were not performing at the requisite standard, and all have now moved on over the summer.
Arriving in their stead, a fresher, exciting mix have started to strut their stuff, with the all-consuming Dominik Szoboszlai possibly the most transformative signing since Virgil van Dijk was welcomed to the central defence; Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo are intriguing acquisitions in contrasting ways, with the former, aged 21, really growing into his skin.
Alexis Mac Allister was captured from Brighton for a bargain £35m in July, the first swoop of the summer as Liverpool started to rebuild having finished fifth last year.
The Argentine was integral for both club and country last term, winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and playing a starring role as the Seagulls secured European football for the first time in their history, and so far, he has been solid if unspectacular at his new club.
One year ago, Mac Allister was a rising star but not quite a high-profile phenom, but that, of course, would change when his impressive club performances warranted a place in Lionel Scaloni’s World Cup squad.
The 24-year-old was quite simply magnificent after starting six of the seven matches, interestingly absent only for Argentina’s shocking group-stage defeat to Saudi Arabia.
Posting a goal, against Poland and a “sumptuous” assist, which came in the final and was hailed as such by Gary Lineker, Mac Allister completed 89% of his passes, averaged 1.3 key passes and 1.5 tackles per game and won 67% of his dribbles and 67% of his ground duels.
Stellar stuff, with the dynamism and energy turning Klopp’s head, but if international exploits can sometimes be misleading to the longevity of a player’s prowess, Mac Allister’s performances were but an illustration of the grander, hundred-hued picture of his quality.
Across the 2022/23 club campaign, the 19-cap international plundered 12 goals and three assists across 40 appearances and insinuated himself within the Premier League’s best, dubbed “very intelligent” by his compatriot Sergio Aguero.
The latter metric highlights a needed upswing in forward passes to effectively contribute to Liverpool’s advances; comparatively, pass master Thiago Alcantara ranks among the top 6% for progressive passes per 90.
Mac Allister has served well insofar as he channels creativity and crispness through the forward lanes; where last year Liverpool’s offensive efforts from the centre was an unreliable trickle, now it is a cascading flood.
However, against his former outfit, his deficiencies in the position were stripped bare, and his “struggle” against Roberto De Zerbi’s fluid team, as stated by reporter Neil Jones, hindered Liverpool’s push for three points.
The 5 foot 8 machine has completed 89% of his passes in the Premier League this season, though is creating just 0.4 key passes per game and forging 2.5 tackles and 6.1 ball recoveries each outing, underscoring a shift in responsibility.
On the south coast once again, he showcased his laudable core qualities but was languid in receiving Van Dijk’s danger-welcoming pass and was dribbled past, also committing three fouls.
In his post-match ratings, the Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle branded him a 5/10 and wrote: ‘Just doesn’t look comfortable in the number six role and way too casual when giving away ball for Brighton opener. Nipped in to initiate equaliser, though, and better second half.’
Not the only Anfield star culpable of a lapse, left-back Andrew Robertson also endured an afternoon to forget, constantly troubled by the mercurial Simon Adingra and failing to muster up much real attacking threat down the left side, with the Scot rewarded a slightly better 6/10 by Doyle. He was also at fault for Lewis Dunk’s equaliser, failing to get anything on Solly March’s teasing free-kick, leaving the Brighton defender to prod home unopposed.
The Scotland captain has been in fine fettle this season but will leave little applause after that match, though will surely retain his starting spot on the left despite Kostas Tsimikas’ recent contract extension.
Right now, the same cannot be said for Mac Allister despite Curtis Jones still serving a suspension for two matches following his dismissal against Tottenham.
The multi-functional Gravenberch is waiting in the wings for his maiden Premier League start and has been praised for his “Rolls Royce” performances by reporter Declan Carr.
The industrious Endo would also offer a more defensive angle to the midfield, and while he may not be the most technically impressive player in Liverpool’s squad, he is a veritable workhorse and could offer a steely dimension for the upcoming run of fixtures.
Ultimately, Liverpool are still in a fine position and could now kick on with a series of victories against opposition who should be felled by Klopp’s squad (on paper, of course).
Perhaps Mac Allister should be deployed higher up, with someone such as Endo serving in the nub, but it’s not quite working in the current role and there’s a growing sense that this burgeoning phenom is unable to exude the swagger at his disposal right now.
