Liverpool fans were left worried after witnessing a dangerous challenge involving one of their players during international duty on Tuesday night.
Alexis Mac Allister, who recently recovered from a groin injury, played nearly the full match in Argentina’s victory over Peru. Despite a late scare for Reds supporters in Buenos Aires, he appeared to finish the game without issue.
In the 88th minute, with Argentina leading 1-0, Mac Allister was fouled by Peruvian defender Carlos Zambrano, who received a yellow card from referee Wilmar Roldán. However, replays from TyC Sports showed that the tackle was high, late, and delivered with studs up—an offense that could have warranted a red card. Fortunately, Mac Allister avoided injury.
Earlier in the match, Zambrano also clashed with Lionel Messi, prompting the Argentine captain to angrily yell, “What are you doing, idiot?” according to TyC Sports.
Will Mac Allister Feature for Liverpool on Sunday?
For Liverpool and manager Arne Slot, the good news is that Mac Allister appears to have escaped any lasting effects from Zambrano’s reckless tackle during Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers. The midfielder is expected to return to Merseyside in good condition after completing both of Argentina’s matches.
However, with a long transatlantic journey and a busy schedule ahead, there’s a chance Mac Allister may be rested for Sunday’s fixture against Southampton to manage his workload. Additionally, the 25-year-old is on four yellow cards in the Premier League, meaning another booking at St Mary’s would rule him out of Liverpool’s crucial match against Manchester City next week.
Liverpool fans will hope their star midfielder returns to club action unscathed and remains available for the team’s key fixtures in the coming weeks.
