NewsHow Alexis Mac Allister has exceeded Jürgen Klopp's expectations
Jürgen Klopp has hailed the ‘super-influential’ form of Alexis Mac Allister as the Liverpool midfielder prepares to face former club Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.
The Argentinian has established himself as a key player for the Reds following his switch last summer, and has scored in each of the last three games.
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Watch on YouTubeAhead of the Premier League clash with the Seagulls at Anfield, Klopp told reporters just how impressed he has been by the 25-year-old.
The Liverpool boss said: “Alexis is exactly the player I hoped he would be; super-influential, super-smart, great guy. [He] loves playing for Liverpool as well, which is really important.
“He’s a rhythm-giver, he’s a difference-maker, [he] can control moments of the game. [He is] always there, always involved, nothing is too much for him, he’s really a top, top, top player.
“But we had that sense when we signed him and he fulfilled all our expectations and more.”
With 10 games remaining, Liverpool find themselves in the middle of a three-way fight for the league title with Arsenal and Manchester City.
Reflecting on the season so far, Klopp said he is delighted with how the players have adapted throughout the campaign.
“What do you know before a season?” he said. “When we played a season like we did last year, afterwards it was quite a restructuring of the team.
“The machine room [midfield] was completely new, we had no idea [what it would be like]. A late No.6 [Wataru Endo] coming in, another No.6 [Stefan Bajcetic] injured early on.
"We had to create an idea and we did. We found a way together and I love so much about how the boys have taken to it.
"So many things are there. How the boys developed, how Curtis [Jones] developed, how Harvey [Elliott] developed, so many things through that difficult period.
“As difficult as it was, something positive always happened. The very young ones coming in and how they performed, or how the boys who were already with us improved.
“The step Curtis made is insane and the step Harvey made as well, proper, proper. If you have to buy these boys, you spend real money. And we have them, which is really cool.
“So far, the season is a good story. But if we want to make it a great one we have to keep going. That’s what we will do. We will see.”