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Alexis Mac Allister’s face was a picture and it told part of the story. It was an hour or so after the whistle had blown on Liverpool’s 2-0 win at Manchester City on Sunday and the war wounds were visible, the signs of sacrifice.
There were shades of yellow and green on Mac Allister’s left eyelid, angry red above that – just beneath the eyebrow; more red around the cheekbone. The damage was done in the 30th minute when the Liverpool midfielder flung himself into a sliding challenge on Omar Marmoush.
The City forward flashed a shot in, although it would be disallowed for offside, and fell hard on his opponent. “He landed on me and I hit the floor,” Mac Allister said, with a rueful smile. “I felt a little bit dizzy but it is something that happens.”
Mac Allister has other colours in mind – the silver and gold of a Premier League title winner’s medal – because this victory, Liverpool’s first in the league at the Etihad since November 2015, pre-Pep Guardiola days for City, will surely come to be considered the one which moved them decisively towards the prize.
Well, that and a result from Saturday – Arsenal’s 1-0 home defeat by West Ham. Liverpool are 11 points ahead of second-placed Arsenal, having played an extra game.
It is fun to hear how the players live the matches of their rivals as the finish line looms and especially when they tell it as the fans might like to imagine. “Of course, you watch … I did watch it [Arsenal v West Ham] when I got home, the last 30 minutes,” Mac Allister said. “You want them to lose. I think that is pretty normal because that makes our life easier.”
Mac Allister was asked whether he enjoyed watching the clubs that pose the greatest threat to Liverpool. “When I watch, I don’t enjoy,” he replied. “I prefer to play them.”
Arsenal’s defeat would have counted for nothing if Liverpool had failed to capitalise but there was never the sense that they would fall short. The win over City was made in midfield, by Arne Slot’s tactical smarts and his players’ faith in them.
Both managers had fitness issues up front and they appeared to arrive at the same conclusion – the solution was to play 4-2-4 formations without conventional No 9s. With Erling Haaland unavailable because of knee trouble, Guardiola started Phil Foden and Marmoush as his central attackers.
Slot had deemed Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo fit enough only for the bench and rather than use Darwin Núñez, he went with Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones in central attacking roles – in front of Ryan Gravenberch and Mac Allister. When he introduced Wataru Endo for Jones in the 73rd minute, he moved Mac Allister further forward.
The watchword was flexibility. It was a new take for Slot on the midfield options he inherited from Jürgen Klopp, albeit it is standard to see his team press in a 4-2-4. He had reasoned that it would be impossible to dominate the ball away from home against a Guardiola team so why not double down on the out-of-possession shape?
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The result was what the captain, Virgil van Dijk, described as the “complete performance”. Liverpool were clinical in both boxes. City had 64% possession but Liverpool held them at arm’s length, restricting them to precious few big chances. Mac Allister and Gravenberch measured their influence in clearances and blocked shots.
But Liverpool’s comfort was not limited to the defensive side of things. They also threatened on the counterattack, able to slickly work their patterns, their players invariably well positioned. “We have a really good team and really good midfielders who came to the club at the same time as me, not long ago,” Mac Allister said. “We are complementing each other really well.”
Underpinning it all was a tireless work ethic. At full time, Szoboszlai lay face down for about 10 seconds, completely exhausted, which probably said everything. Next up for Liverpool is Newcastle at home on Wednesday and the message, as articulated by Van Dijk, is simple. Recover, train, play. Repeat.
“This was a big win and I told the guys: ‘Don’t take these wins for granted but when you go home, recover and be ready for the preparation for Newcastle,’” Van Dijk said. “That’s the only thing we have to do. Tunnel vision. Nothing else matters.
“My routine is eat well, sleep well and do all the stuff around it. I’m going home, get the sauna, do exercises in the pool, do all the normal stuff for me, what helps me every day. Then I’ll be ready tomorrow to go again.”
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