Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson has dropped an important injury claim regarding one of his teammates ahead of the Champions League clash with Atlético Madrid.
Van Dik excited about “fantastic” Isak
The Premier League champions won 1-0 at Burnley on Sunday afternoon, being frustrated for large periods but winning it through a last-gasp Mohamed Salah penalty.
Liverpool could have done with new signing Alexander Isak’s ruthlessness at times, and speaking after the game, captain Virgil van Dijk waxed lyrical over the Swede, having trained with him last week.
“Very good! Listen, he is going to be very important for the football club. Obviously he is a fantastic player and he has to realise that this is another step up, there’s more things to be asked from him on and off the pitch, but I’m not worried whatsoever.
“He is going to do pretty well, like the other new boys as well. It’s time for him now to get as fit as possible as quickly as possible and be important with goals, with link-up play – like Hugo [Ekitike] is already as well. It’s good to have competition. We have to push each other to be successful and I’m confident that will be the case.”
Alisson drops injury update regarding teammate
Speaking to ESPN after the Burnley game [via Sport Witness], Alisson claimed that Alexis Mac Allister should be fine after being on the end of a bad tackle at Turf Moor, suggesting he should be fit for Liverpool’s visit of Atlético Madrid on Wednesday, also praising the Reds’ new signings.
“He’s a very strong man. Nothing’s wrong with him, he was just in a bit of pain. I think he’s fine.
“All the players who left were important. Lucho, Darwin, they all made a difference for us with goals or their playing, fighting, defending. They had good energy, and we miss them. The ones who arrived are stars, they’re doing very well with their contributions, they have a lot of quality. It’s clear we want to improve because we need to; we have many competitions to play.”
Arne Slot and Alexis Mac Allister for Liverpool
Mac Allister hasn’t quite got going this season, having been injured at one point, and he was off the pace at Burnley, perhaps due to his exploits for Argentina during the international break.
That said, the 26-year-old still has a strong claim for being Liverpool’s most important midfielder, with his blend of quality, work rate, intelligence and leadership making him one of the first names on the team sheet.
It will be interesting to see if Arne Slot starts Mac Allister against Atlético, though, perhaps deciding to give him a breather, partnering Ryan Gravenberch with Dominik Szoboszlai.
That would then allow Mac Allister to be fresh for Saturday’s Merseyside derby clash with Everton at Anfield, which is the more important game at this stage of the season.
