News'How can you not love him?' - Jürgen Klopp's praise for Alexis Mac Allister
Jürgen Klopp hailed the ‘incredible’ impact Alexis Mac Allister has had on and off the pitch since joining Liverpool last summer.
The Argentinian scored a fifth goal in his last 10 club appearances – a run that has also included five assists – against Sheffield United on Thursday night.
With the score locked at 1-1 at Anfield, Mac Allister met a half-clearance at the edge of the box with a blistering finish that soared into the roof of the net.
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Watch on YouTubeThe No.10 has been integral during a campaign that has already seen the Reds lift the Carabao Cup and with challenges for the Premier League and Europa League ongoing.
Asked about Mac Allister by Sky Sports in a preview to Sunday’s league clash with Manchester United, Klopp said: “How can you not love a player like him? Or a boy like him? He’s incredible.
“He’s educated in the best possible way. He’s really polite, confident, funny, smart – and an incredible footballer. Oh my God!
“You watch training sessions and the coaches look at each other like, ‘Wow, what was that?’ And only from time to time you see it in games as well – [because] first and foremost we train still more often than we play.
“How he interacts with the other boys, how he took the South American outfield player department under his wings naturally, without telling them what to do but just how they came together. It’s wonderful.
“I loved it from the first moment when we met before we signed him and when I met then his dad. The football understanding in his family is obviously second to none: dad a former professional, uncle a former professional, brothers professionals, cousins professionals. So they all eat and breathe football, and that’s so good.
“Of course I love him. I don’t know where the boys get it from that he’s kind of the manager’s pet or favourite because I have a lot of them, but yes, he’s definitely one of them!”
Klopp has been in charge for Liverpool’s last 20 fixtures against fierce rivals United in all competitions.
Sunday’s meeting will be his last as Reds boss, of course, and he spoke of his understanding of the eternal significance of the game to both clubs.
“We have one day [on Saturday] where we prepare it, where we talk about it, where we will show the boys a few pictures – and then we go again,” said Klopp.
“Yes, I understand [the significance] 100 per cent – I am first and foremost a football supporter, a football lover, so I understand 100 per cent that this game will be watched everywhere on the planet.
“Especially Liverpool supporters with high hopes that we can do something there. And the Man United supporters: ‘Make sure that they will not win the league, if we cannot win it, they should not win it.’ That’s part of football as well.
“So that all makes it more intense, but let’s see what we can do.”
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