Alexis Mac Allister admits he struggled to stay awake during Liverpool’s preparations for Manchester City as he detailed the effect of early kick-offs after the international break.
The Reds came from behind to earn a 1-1 Premier League draw at the champions on Saturday to continue their impressive start to the season.
It was the third time this campaign Jurgen Klopp’s side have featured in the 12.30pm match immediately after an international break, with Liverpool involved in such a fixture more than twice as many times as any other club during Klopp’s tenure.
Mac Allister was among four Reds players playing in World Cup qualifiers in South America in the early hours of Wednesday morning UK time, and the Argentina international has explained the impact of such a quick turnaround.
“Honestly, it is so hard to play like this,” he said after the game at the Etihad. “Yesterday (Friday) we were in a meeting talking about Man City and the way we wanted to play, and I couldn’t keep my eyes open.
“It’s very tough. Jet lag, long trip, but it is what it is. We like playing football, it’s what we want, to win, and that’s why we did our best (at City).”
