Something strange is happening in the middle of the pitch at Liverpool. Under head coach Andoni Iraola, the midfield looks too weak. Gaps open up too easily, and opposing teams break through to attack the defense with alarming frequency.
Iraola wants midfielders who can receive the ball quickly and start attacks, just like he had at Bournemouth. But Liverpool’s current players fit different styles. Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch love to run with the ball, but they are not great at winning the ball back. Playing them together in the middle does not always work.
### Alexis Mac Allister: The Beacon of Consistency
However, one player who continues to stand head and shoulders above the tactical turbulence is Alexis Mac Allister. The Argentine midfielder has been letting his football do the talking in the most emphatic way possible, delivering standout performances and crucial goals right when Liverpool have needed them most.
Mac Allister produced a sensational display to kick off Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League campaign with a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over Atlético Madrid at Anfield. After Marcos Llorente had given the visitors an early lead, and with Dominik Szoboszlai drawing the Reds level, Mac Allister stepped up shortly after half-time.
Capitalising on a deflected cross from Alexander Isak following brilliant work by young Rio Ngumoha, Mac Allister ignored shouts and drilled an unstoppable, left-footed strike from 20 yards out past Jan Oblak. It was a massive moment that sealed all three points and capped off a player-of-the-match calibre response.
Carrying that stellar momentum forward, Mac Allister was back on the scoresheet as Liverpool secured a brilliant 3-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup third round at Anfield.
Opening the scoring in the 21st minute, Mac Allister pounced when Destiny Udogie failed to clear a dangerous weaving run from Ngumoha across the area. Keeping his composure, he opened his body and expertly swept a precise shot into the top left-hand corner past Martin Dubravka. Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai later added to the scoreline to safely guide the Reds into the next round, with Mac Allister’s influential presence once again driving the midfield engine room.
Despite Mac Allister’s brilliant form and the strong displays from young Trey Nyoni, if Liverpool want an intense ball-winner who can also play out from deep to complete Iraola’s system, they may still need to look at the transfer market. Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara remains a heavily linked target for the club who could finally solve those lingering positional gaps.
### A Historic Signing Behind the Scenes
While the first team fights through matches on multiple fronts, Liverpool quietly made a surprising academy signing that broke a 100-year record.
Patrik Farkas has returned to the club as a free agent. The 19-year-old Hungarian youth midfielder spent four years at Blackburn Rovers after leaving Liverpool’s youth system when he was under 16. Now he is back, and because his younger brother Erik already plays for the Under-18s, they are the first set of brothers to represent Liverpool in over 100 years. The last brothers to do this were John and Tom Miller in the 1910s and 1920s, and Elisha and Billy Scott.
Patrik told [Liverpoolfc.com:](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/patrik-farkas-signs-contract-liverpool-fc)
> _**“It’s a dream come true to sign here, I’m really happy and just excited to get started. I’m enjoying being back at Liverpool, there are some new faces but it’s good to meet everyone and also see lots of old friends as well.”**_
Describing his style of play, he said:
> _**“I’m a technical player, a box-to-box player who can play in multiple positions and try to make things happen. The coaches have just asked me to excite them, to get playing, be confident and show them what I can do. From there anything can happen. Work hard and take the next step from there.”**_
Having his brother Erik at the club makes it even better.
Patrik added:
> _**“We’ve always played together, from when I was four years old. We do push each other, that’s the aim, to push each other and that’s how we get better.”**_
As Liverpool navigate the ongoing tactical evolution under Andoni Iraola, the contrast between the first team’s high-stakes battles and developments behind the scenes highlights a club in transition