Mac Allister’s chances of featuring against Manchester United are now uncertain following Argentina’s latest squad announcement.
Liverpool’s midfield plans ahead of the clash with Manchester United may have been thrown off course after Argentina’s late decision to reschedule and relocate Alexis Mac Allister’s friendly against Puerto Rico.
According to TyC Sports, the match will now take place on Tuesday night in Miami rather than Monday in Chicago, potentially leaving Arne Slot concerned about the midfielder’s recovery time before the high-profile meeting with United.
Fixture change disrupts Liverpool’s build-up
Mac Allister has been closely managed since the end of last season due to ongoing fitness concerns, with Arne Slot acknowledging that his pre-season was far from smooth. The 26-year-old is yet to complete a full 90 minutes this campaign, and Liverpool’s medical staff have been cautious not to overwork him during the congested early-season period.
His condition remains a concern, and Paul Scholes has even criticised some of his recent displays. Initially, Argentina’s second friendly was scheduled for Monday (early Tuesday UK time), which would have given Mac Allister five days to recover and prepare for United’s visit to Anfield.
However, with the fixture now pushed back to Tuesday at Chase Stadium, home of Inter Miami, the World Cup winner isn’t expected to rejoin Liverpool training until Thursday — significantly cutting down his preparation time.
That tight turnaround could prompt Slot to turn to Curtis Jones, who stayed at the AXA Training Centre over the break, or consider handing Florian Wirtz a start in midfield if Mac Allister is not deemed ready.
Why Argentina’s match was rescheduled
TyC Sports reports that the switch was made for “organisational reasons” and to allow more time for ticket sales. However, additional reports from Argentina suggest that protests in Chicago over immigration policies under President Donald Trump also played a part, with local authorities unable to ensure full security for the event.
As a result, Lionel Scaloni’s side will remain in Miami for the rest of their tour, avoiding a flight to Illinois but leaving Mac Allister with one less day to recover before Liverpool’s toughest test of the season so far.
With seven matches packed into 22 days after the international break, Slot will be well aware that carefully managing Mac Allister’s workload could be crucial to keeping Liverpool’s momentum in the Premier League title race.
