Arne Slot told to bench Liverpool star whose ‘legs have gone’ in brutal verdict

Alexis Mac Allister needs to be benched – he’s a far cry from the midfielder who inspired Liverpool to Premier League glory last season.

That’s the view of ex-Reds winger Jermaine Pennant, who believes the 2022 World Cup winner needs to be taken out of the line-up following dismal displays this term.

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In the firing line

He was particularly scrutinised for his display in Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City.

Mac Allister was partially at fault for Bernardo Silva’s equaliser and was caught ball watching in the action that led to City’s penalty which was subsequently dispatched by Erling Haaland.

His performances of late have been nothing like what he was mustering up in last season’s title-winning campaign, where he was one of Liverpool’s most consistent performers.

That has made his drop-off even more noticeable, with Pennant weighing in on the 27-year-old’s displays this term.

Taking to X after Sunday’s defeat, Pennant commented on the player’s slump in form, labelling him as a ‘passenger’ in matches.

Pennant was further probed on his post during the latest episode of talkSPORT’s Inside Liverpool show, and the former Arsenal man doubled down on his assessment of the 42-cap Argentina international.

“I was watching the game and I was frustrated and I tweeted, I don’t really tweet that much, but I was angry. It was constructive angry,” Pennant said.

“Basically what I touched on was, ‘Listen, we love you [Mac Allister], you’ve been a great player for Liverpool, you’ve been a great player, you are a great player, you were in the Team of the Season.’

“I touched on that after your injury in pre-season, you’ve come back a shadow of what you are; it seems like your legs have gone.

“In that [City] game, he was literally a bystander, he didn’t really get into it at all and that’s what I touched on, it was an observation.”

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Asked whether Mac Allister would benefit from a rest and a period out of the firing line, Pennant added: “Sometimes it could be as simple as that.

“You need to rest and you need your mind to rest and reset and then you come back the player that you were.

“It is demanding and when the team isn’t flourishing and things aren’t going well, that’s when it can get really punishing, not only on your body, but on your mind as well.

“You see these comments, you’re hearing criticism,” he continued.

“There’s always talk about it because you’re Liverpool and you’re in the spotlight and everyone’s human and you’ve got feelings so sometimes it weighs on your mind.

“You have times when you’re fighting with your head. You’d read or hear comments or criticism of how you’re playing.

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“Before a game, you might say ’I’m going to do this differently’. So you’re arguing with yourself.’”

Worrying numbers

On Tuesday, The Athletic conducted a deep dive into Mac Allister’s figures, comparing last season’s numbers to this season’s and their findings were a stark contrast.

It found that Mac Allister is down in most of his defensive actions compared to last season and is making fewer interceptions and tackles while winning fewer duels.

Mac Allister is also not winning possession high up the pitch as often as last season and has a lower creative output.

Meanwhile, the midfielder is yet to score in the Premier League this season in 24 appearances and is creating fewer chances per game.

A succession of niggling injuries has hampered a campaign where he has had to play catch-up after returning later than expected for pre-season.

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There is also uncertainty over his long-term future at Anfield with just 18 months remaining on his deal.

Mac Allister has been linked with a move to Real Madrid on multiple occasions, with it remaining to be seen whether Los Blancos formalise their interest.