Paul Gorst has said that the Liverpool starting XI chosen by Arne Slot for today’s clash against Chelsea poses one big question for somebody to answer.
There are three changes to the Reds’ line-up from the win over Crystal Palace a fortnight ago, one of which sees Alexis Mac Allister drop to the bench after he returned from Argentina in midweek, having played for just over an hour despite only just recovering from a groin injury.
It’s noteworthy that, in our first match back from the international break, none of our four South American players are selected to start. Alisson Becker is injured, of course, with the other three all named among the substitutes at Anfield.
Gorst questions Mac Allister call
When the team news was confirmed 75 minutes before kick-off, Gorst’s eyes were immediately drawn towards the omission of Mac Allister from the starting XI.
The journalist wrote in the Liverpool Echo’s live matchday blog (15:20): “Alexis Mac Allister only fit enough for the substitutes’ bench today then. He played 66 minutes against Bolivia in what was a 6-0 win in the early hours of Thursday but you’d have to question the wisdom of releasing him for international duty given there were some concerns after his half-time withdrawl at Crystal Palace. Big chance for Curtis Jones, at least.”
Gorst is right to ask why Mac Allister travelled
Gorst is right to question why Mac Allister flew across the Atlantic and back for Argentina’s World Cup qualifying double header despite hobbling off with injury against Selhurst Park a mere 15 days ago.
Why was the 25-year-old allowed to make such a long journey when he clearly wasn’t in peak condition, and what possessed Lionel Scaloni to play him for more than an hour in midweek in a match where the world champions could easily have managed without him?
The midfielder’s benching today leaves just four players to have started every Premier League match for Liverpool this season – Mo Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Gravenberch.
At least we still have Mac Allister to call upon if needed, with fellow South Americans Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz also left out of the starting XI after their extended travels but on hand for the Reds should Slot feel the need to deploy either or both.
The club are not allowed to prevent the players from travelling for their national teams, this was not the clubs decision.
You reach a point where the players have y9u use their brains. Virgil originally planned to stay for the second Dutch game even though he was suspended, however it came about he headed back home instead. The Egyptian national management saw fit to not even play Mo for their second game and he returned to Liverpool earlier as well, quite refreshing and positive to see this happen. Other associations could learn from this.