Premier League

Mac Allister’s father reveals Klopp’s influence on his decision to join Liverpool

Alexis Mac Allister’s father has revealed that former manager Jurgen Klopp played a key role in his son’s decision to join Liverpool.

The Argentine midfielder made the £35M move to the Reds from Brighton in 2023, following a release clause in his contract with the Seagulls. Klopp’s persuasion was instrumental in sealing the deal.

Speaking to RG, Mac Allister’s father shared that his son has no regrets about joining Liverpool.

“When he was about to play in Qatar, we sat down with Brighton and negotiated a good release clause,” Mac Allister Sr. recalled. “So that he could deliver a good performance in the World Cup and go to a bigger team, which he did.”

“We chose Liverpool because Klopp wanted him a lot, and they were going through a rebuild. Klopp fell in love with him and gave him a lot of opportunities, which he did not waste.”

Mac Allister has delivered impressive performances, highlighted by his standout displays in the World Cup and Copa America. His father emphasized his son’s all-around abilities: “He delivered a fantastic World Cup and a very good Copa America and has shown unique attributes. People mostly talk about Alexis’ offensive abilities, but he also has the seventh-most recoveries in the Premier League.”

“There are many footballers who attack well, many who defend well, but there aren’t many like Alexis who attack and defend well.”

Related Topics:Klopp Liverpool Mac Allister

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Premier League

Rashford must “change” to return for Manchester United, says Amorim

£40m Striker: Man Utd, Liverpool In Transfer ‘Tug Of War’

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has emphasized that Marcus Rashford “has to change” before being considered for selection again. The 27-year-old forward has not featured for the club in seven weeks and recently expressed his desire for a “new challenge.”

Rashford was once again omitted from United’s squad for Thursday’s Europa League match against FCSB in Bucharest.

“Imagine a talent like Rashford; our team should be so much better with him — but he has to change,” Amorim stated during a press conference on Wednesday.

“If he changes, we are more than welcome [to include him]—and we need it. But in this moment, we have to set some standards. We are waiting for Rashford, if he wants it really bad.”

Amorim dismissed suggestions that the situation was personal.

“You (the media) want to make it personal, I have nothing against Marcus, but I have to make the same rules for everybody,” he explained. “We need goals, we need [players who can go] one against one, we need threat in the final third.”

Despite training at Carrington on Wednesday, Rashford was not included in the 21-man Europa League squad, fueling speculation about a potential transfer before the window closes on Monday.

Following United’s narrow 1-0 win over Fulham, Amorim made a strong statement about maintaining team standards:

“I would prefer to select my 63-year-old goalkeeping coach rather than play someone who did not meet those standards.”

Rashford, who debuted for the club in 2016, has scored 138 goals in 426 appearances for the senior team.

“The situation is the same for every player,” Amorim reiterated. “I will not put [in] any player that doesn’t give the maximum. When I feel it is the right moment, I will put in any player to play. We are a better team with Rashford, that is clear, but until the right moment I will not change my mind.”

Premier League

Ian Wright slams Enzo Maresca’s ‘strange’ comments for impacting Chelsea’s season

Arsenal legend Ian Wright has criticized Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca for making comments that he believes have negatively impacted the Blues’ Premier League campaign.

Chelsea had emerged as surprise title contenders earlier in the season after some impressive performances. However, Maresca repeatedly stated that his team wasn’t yet ready to compete with top clubs like Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester City for the Premier League title.

Chelsea’s form has since dipped, winning only one of their last four league games, and they now sit in sixth place, 13 points behind leaders Liverpool.

Wright feels that Maresca’s remarks have had a detrimental effect on the team. Speaking on the *Wrighty’s House* podcast, he said, “I found it strange – it didn’t need to be said. At some stage, there was going to be some form of drop-off without him saying that and giving them an excuse.”

He continued, “He should have just said it’s brilliant and we’re ahead of schedule and we will see where we are. That’s what you do.”

Wright also pointed to Nuno Espirito Santo’s more measured approach with his team, saying, “Nuno would never say something like that about [Nottingham] Forest… just play. It gets into the player’s heads and gives them a get out of jail free card.”

While Wright acknowledged that Chelsea may not have won the title, he expressed his belief that the team could have avoided their recent slump. “I’m not saying they would have won the title, but I would like to think they wouldn’t have gone on a run like this after doing so well.”

Reflecting on Chelsea’s earlier performances, Wright recalled, “They were playing so well and looking so dangerous. I remember sending messages saying Chelsea scare me, Chelsea are dangerous.”

He concluded, “Why would you throw that [comment] into the mix? If Chelsea get the Champions League, magnificent. Now they might be looking at the Europa League with the way it’s dropping off.”

Premier League

Scholes suggests Amorim may need to offload up to 14 players at Man United

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes believes that current manager Ruben Amorim may need to offload up to 14 players as part of a major rebuild.

Scholes stated that Amorim faces a far bigger rebuilding job than Mikel Arteta did at Arsenal, citing the challenges Amorim has encountered since taking over at Old Trafford. The 40-year-old manager recently referred to the team as the worst in the club’s history.

Scholes highlighted Arteta’s transformation of Arsenal, which began when he inherited a team in disarray. Arteta’s success came through significant player changes, such as moving on Matteo Guendouzi, Mesut Ozil, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Amorim appears to be following a similar path. He has left Marcus Rashford out of his matchday squad for over a month and has also sidelined Casemiro.

“The trouble Amorim’s got is there’s not just three of them,” Scholes told The Overlap fan debate. “You could be talking about 13 or 14 of them he doesn’t want.”