Jurgen Klopp has alleviated fears Alexis Mac Allister could be set for a spell on the sidelines after limping off with a knee injury in the closing stages of Liverpool’s 4-1 thrashing of Chelsea on Wednesday night at Anfield.
The Argentine, who was rested for Sunday’s FA Cup triumph over Norwich City, returned to the starting XI and played the full 90 minutes as the Reds restored their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League thanks to goals from Diogo Jota, Conor Bradley, Dominik Szoboszlai and Luis Diaz.
In the final minutes of the game though, Mac Allister was lying in pain on the Anfield turf after a coming together with Chelsea substitute Cesare Casadei and limped off the field to receive treatment from Liverpool physio Chris Morgan.
Klopp, however, was unable to withdraw the Reds’ No.10 because he had made all five of his changes, meaning Mac Allister gingerly returned to the action to help his side see out the resounding win.
Providing an injury update in his post-match press conference at Anfield, the Liverpool boss insisted Mac Allister suffered no serious damage and therefore should be fit to face Arsenal when Liverpool travel to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
“Now the next game is coming in four days and I have no idea who can play again because they looked quite knackered when I had a look in the dressing room!” said Klopp. “Little back here, Macca [Alexis Mac Allister] on the knee – knee on knee – stuff like this. Nothing major, at least nobody told me that yet. So it’s all fine. We need them all – and it’s not a phrase, it’s exactly how it is. And I’m happy for them they all could perform the way they performed. The next massive game is coming up already, at Arsenal, and let’s recover and go again.
“Macca [Mac Allister] on the knee, knee-on-knee, nothing major, at least nobody told me that yet. It’s all fine, we need them all. It’s not a phrase, it’s exactly how it is. I am happy for them that they all could perform the way they performed. The next massive game is coming up already at Arsenal. Let’s recover and go again.”
