Alexis Mac Allister’s First Appearance Since Joining Liverpool
Alexis Mac Allister made his first appearance since joining Liverpool on Thursday, as he took part in Argentina’s friendly against Australia in China. The 24-year-old midfielder was part of Lionel Scaloni’s strong side, and the team took the lead within two minutes through Lionel Messi. German Pezzella added another just after the hour mark to seal a 2-0 win.
Mac Allister’s Performance
Mac Allister played 59 minutes before being replaced by Julian Alvarez, and his performance was met with mixed reviews. Newspaper Ole rated him a seven out of 10, noting that he played “almost like a false nine” and demonstrated his ease in adapting to another role. Meanwhile, TyC Sports claimed he looked “fatigued” and gave him a six out of 10. GOAL’s James Hunsley also gave Mac Allister a six out of 10, noting that he started brightly but tailed off.
The Demands of the International Schedule
It should come as no surprise that Mac Allister looked tired, given he played 51 times over the course of the season – including six times at the World Cup – clocking 4,093 minutes on the pitch. The increased demands of the international schedule present another issue for players in the modern era, with one more game still to play for Argentina before Mac Allister takes around three weeks off before reporting for pre-season with Liverpool.