Jamie Carragher names Liverpool player who is now 'real problem' for Arne Slot

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot keeps picking Alexis Mac Allister but Jamie Carragher says the Argentine is now a "real problem" for the Reds in the center of the pitch

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher.(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher says Alexis Mac Allister is now a big problem for Arne Slot, with the Argentine unable to get around the pitch as he was once able to.

Against Tottenham, Mac Allister started well and was a strong performer in the first half. After half-time, however, he was a key reason that the game began to drift away from Liverpool, who conceded late on to Richarlison.

"The longer the games go on, the more Mac Allister struggles," Carragher said on Sky Sports. "I think that’s a real problem for Liverpool that they need to address in midfield.

"Curtis Jones comes on and the game goes end to end. He takes on the Florian Wirtz role and I don’t know why; he’s not that player. There’s too much space when the game opens up and Mac Allister can’t cover it."

Liverpool was completely incapable of controlling the game in the second half and it descended into chaos. Ultimately, it was punished for being wasteful by conceding yet another late goal.

"I think because we're not able to score the second goal, because that would immediately damage the momentum of the other team," Arne Slot said in his post-match press conference.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot with midfielder Alexis Mac Allister(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

"But as long as it's 1-0, of course, it's quite normal that with either the substitutions the other manager makes — with going even more offensive, going even more direct, taking more risks — that can lead for them to create chances, which they did, but it also led to them being very open for counter-attacks.

"And then the way we conceded, we didn't concede our chances by being too open or being too offensive or being outplayed through the midfield or being too late with a press, it's just playing over the press, playing the balls into our last line.

"And if throughout the whole game we never picked up any second balls, that is something then where you could say, 'Yeah, this is the whole game the same'.

"But all the chances we had in the second half were when we picked up second balls and then counter-attacked them.

"The three, four or five times during the game that we were not able to pick up the second ball, not clear it far enough, they were a threat and that's probably the belief teams have now when they play against us.

"And I think we might be a bit anxious towards the end as well, when we don't extend our lead. I think that's also normal if it happens so many times, that you start to think like that, and it's normal that the stadium has that same feeling."

Liverpool.com says: Mac Allister has not had a good season, and his legs are just not able to move quickly enough at the moment. Midweek, and next weekend against his old club, Brighton, Jones might be a better option, but he hasn't exactly been sparkling lately either.