Liverpool manager Arne Slot has praised the role of his “outstanding” midfielder Alexis McAllister in the club's rise to the Premier League.
While the likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and even Ryan Gravenberg could be contenders for the club's Player of the Year award, Mac Allister has sometimes remained in the shadows.
However, the Argentina World Cup winner has started to find form since the Christmas holidays and his aim was to lead Liverpool to a 2-1 lead against Tottenham that marked the start of the title-winning night at Anfield last weekend.
“I don't think I'm underestimating him because he's probably played in every game or almost every game,” Slott said.
“It’s possible that the rare times he was absent were due to the need for rest or an injury that kept him out of the game.
“(He's) a very valuable player, (has) a high game IQ (and) is a great ball handler.
“But what makes it even more unique for me is that usually players who play so much and are so confident on the ball don’t have the same aggressiveness and intensity without the ball.
“He is one of the few players in the world who combines outstanding game intelligence, excellent play on the ball, and at the same time shows persistence without the ball.
“In our midfield, he stands out for his tenacity.”
Slot has promised to make changes to the final four games of the season to give supporting players the opportunity to increase their playing time.
However, even with the title secured and a 15-point lead over second-placed Arsenal heading into the weekend, that does not mean he expects his players to be any less competitive, although he admits there may be a dip in performance after the work has been done.
“We go into these four games with the intention of winning them all, of course, that's what we always want, that's what every player, everyone who wears the Liverpool shirt, should strive for – to win a football match,” the Dutchman added.
“I would rather judge us on the points we have now compared to teams that have won the last four games to the end, as there is certainly a difference if we are still competing rather than the games we are playing at the moment.
“It doesn't mean we're going to lose them, we also have a lot of confidence in the players we're going to play now.”
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
