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Didi Hamann claims 24-year-old has become Liverpool’s very best midfield player now
Liverpool legend Didi Hamann has now been assessing Jurgen Klopp’s midfield following a disappointing draw against Manchester United.
Perhaps the biggest surprise in yesterday’s drab affair was Liverpool’s inability to score against a particularly porous United side.
And when he looked at Liverpool’s starting midfield three yesterday: Wataru Endo, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch, Hamann did think one crucial player was missing.
Klopp’s Liverpool midfield has a lot of exciting combinations this season, but Hammann was convinced that Alexis Mac Allister was the currently the best of the lot.
Missing through injury yesterday, Hamann really noticed the absence.
Speaking to , he said: “Well I do like Endo, I saw a lot of him in Germany and he scored a good goal a couple of weeks ago, so I think he’s adapting to the pace of the Premier League now.
“Szoboszlai had a very good start to the season, he’s gone pretty quiet now and Gravenberch is a capable player.
“I think they missed Mac Allister, who is probably the best player in midfield so far.
“But I think the bigger issue is probably the form of Nunez since he scored those goals away to Newcastle where I thought he’s coming into his own now and he will be the striker that everybody expected him to be.
“I think he’s only scored one or two goals [since then] and his form is a bit of a worry I think.”
Didi Hamann thinks Alexis Mac Allister is Jurgen Klopp’s strongest Liverpool midfielder
Of course it’s particularly interesting to hear this point of view considering some of the criticism Mac Allister has endured this season.
Although clearly an exceptional footballer, many have not enjoyed the Argentinian playing as a defensive midfielder.
Many fans believe that Mac Allister would be much more effective deployed as a number eight, perhaps alongside Szoboszlai.
It would seem unlikely that Liverpool would target another addition in January, but perhaps an elite defensive midfielder is still on the future agenda.
Were Liverpool to add a Declan Rice or a Rodri to their side, they would surely be a shoe-in for the title.
That being said, Jose Mourinho has still tipped Liverpool to have an excellent chance of lifting the title this season.
Hamann is right in pointing out just how good a signing Mac Allister has been for Liverpool, and Klopp will surely want more of the same.
It’s quite remarkable to see a manager successfully revamp his whole team, one that had been so successful, but Klopp is getting it right yet again.