Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola before the Monaco match
Andoni Iraola via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
Liverpool suffered their first defeat of the Andoni Iraola era on Sunday evening when Manchester City eased past them at Anfield, sparking divisive discourse around several of the Reds' key players.
Iraola was forced to deploy a makeshift attack that included youngsters Victor Munoz and Lewis Koumas, and despite both players stepping up in the absence of Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo, the Merseysiders weren't able to make the most of their period of dominance before Ryan Gravenberch's controversial red card. The Dutchman was sent off just after the hour mark, giving Iraola's outfit a difficult task in the remaining half an hour.
Goals from Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki saw Liverpool off, meaning Iraola remains winless at Anfield in the Premier League.
While Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola's disappointing performances have grabbed the headlines, another star was arguably more at fault for the Reds' woes.
Alexis Mac Allister Was a Problem For Liverpool vs Man City
alexis mac allister
alexis mac allister
Liverpool spent well over £200million combined on Wirtz and Barcola, and thus, it's natural that their individual displays have been put under a microscope at the start of this season.
Wirtz has had a year to acclimatise to English football, so criticism over the German is certainly reasonable. However, Barcola is still adapting and deserves more time to prove himself.
The same cannot be said of Alexis Mac Allister, whose blushes are being spared by the focus on the two big-money signings. The Argentine started alongside Gravenberch against City, and while he contributed to Liverpool's positive spells, he was at the forefront of their collapse after they were reduced to ten men.
While Gravenberch outshone him in the opening 60 minutes, Mac Allister did make an impact on the game. Some of his passing was crisp and direct, helping Liverpool get up the pitch and play through City's press. He ended the game with 14 line-breaking passes and ten passes into the final third.
However, as soon as Liverpool lost a man and lost momentum, Mac Allister shrank. 19-year-old Trey Nyoni was introduced to play alongside the World Cup winner, and instead of guiding the youngster through the game, he passed up this leadership opportunity and faded into the background.
Liverpool needed their senior midfield to step up and protect the team's backline from City's onslaught. However, Mac Allister shirked defensive responsibility, making just one tackle and winning just one of his five ground duels.
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Mac Allister's Statistics vs Man City
Minutes Played
Pass Accuracy
Touches
Passes into the Final Third
Line-Breaking Passes
Tackles
Blocks
Interceptions
Ground Duels Won
Iraola, who got the most out of the likes of Alex Scott and Tyler Adams at Bournemouth, will be extremely disappointed by Mac Allister's showing in the final 30 minutes.
Had the former Brighton man stood up and imposed himself on City's midfield, the damage might not have been so great late on. Instead, Enzo Maresca's team carved through Liverpool's non-existent midfield time and time again, with Mac Allister nowhere to be seen.
Alexis Mac Allister Shouldn't Start For Liverpool in Upcoming Matches
Alexis Mac Allister applauds the fans after Liverpool match
Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
Without Dominic Szoboszlai, who is currently recovering from a hamstring injury, Iraola has few options to pick from in the middle of the park. Combine this with Gravenberch now being suspended for next week's trip to Brentford, and Mac Allister is almost certain to start in West London.
However, once both players are back in contention, Mac Allister should be forced to fight his way back into the starting eleven.
The 27-year-old might be showing signs of life in possession, but his lack of intensity out of possession isn't good enough for a side that have aspirations of competing for major honours.
Liverpool face LASK in the Champions League on Wednesday night, and Nyoni should arguably start next to Gravenberch instead of Mac Allister. The former Leciester City academy star has impressed whenever he's been granted opportunities by Iraola this season, and deserves a chance to start in Europe's elite club competition.
Mac Allister is somewhat unfortunate that Liverpool's inability to land an out-and-out defensive midfielder in recent windows has meant he's been bestowed with more defensive responsibility than he's used to. However, he's simply failed to adapt to this new role, and this is becoming a real issue for the Reds.
Liverpool vs Man City
Liverpool vs Man City