Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has asked supporters to lower their expectations of the club’s summer signing Alexis Mac Allister.
The Argentina international was Liverpool’s first summer signing, joining for a £35m deal from Brighton. His signing has been greeted with much expectation as he has been impressive in Liverpool’s pre-season games.
The 24-year-old was also influential as Liverpool beat Leicester City 4-0 in their most recent friendly in Singapore. Although he was not on the score sheet, he was involved in every sense for the Reds.
After the game, Klopp admitted he was impressed with the new signing. But the German also urged fans to remain patient with the Argentine as he gets used to life at Anfield.
“When we found Macca between the lines, he was really good,” Klopp told The Athletic. “That helped us speed the game up.”
Despite Mac Aliiitser’s form, Klopp insisted the 24-year-old is not yet at his best and warned fans he will need time to learn his place in Liverpool’s system fully.
“So, we have to work on it, and we work on that. We have a lot of options in the areas, and the boys need to show up.
“Good player. These things, it needs time,” Klopp said of Mac Allister. “Even in the season, it’s not that you have the first game and then it’s the best game of the season – that would be really horrible if that would be the case.
“It’s not pressure. It’s just the situation because I think it was clear when we scored in the first half three goals, but in the second half, Cody [Gakpo] and Dom [Szoboszlai] and Luis [Diaz] and Ben [Doak], to be honest, that was pretty special. And Harvey [Elliott] as well really showed up.”
What next for Liverpool?
Liverpool have two more friendlies before their Premier League campaign begins. They face Bayern Munich on Wednesday before playing Darmstadt, who were promoted back to the Bundesliga last season, on Monday, 7 August.
The Reds kick off the 2023/24 season with a visit to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea the following Sunday.
