Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher joins the latest podcast episode of Essential Football to analyse the top-of-the-table clash between Man City and Liverpool; watch City vs Liverpool on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event from 11am; kick-off 12.30pm
Saturday 25 November 2023 13:07, UK
Jamie Carragher believes Saturday's crunch Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool, live on Sky Sports, is an "acid test'" for Alexis Mac Allister as a holding midfielder.
The Argentine, who joined Liverpool for £35m from Brighton in the summer, has predominantly been playing at the base of a newly-formed midfield.
But Mac Allister now faces his biggest examination in the number six role against the treble winners and current league leaders Man City at the Etihad Stadium.
Sky Sports pundit Carragher joined the latest podcast episode of Essential Football to assess Mac Allister's role in the top-of-the-table clash, whether Liverpool have closed the gap to Man City and is asked for his prediction for the match...
He's a completely different type of player to Fabinho in that role. In that on the ball, he's going to try and get Liverpool moving, getting them on the ball, receiving the ball with his back to play and flicking around the corner to the opposite full-back and basically, he's part of the build up that includes the goalkeeper, centre backs really splitting wide and he comes really deep to get on the ball - and that's certainly a strength of his.
But he'll certainly be asked questions tomorrow that he hasn't been asked before in a Liverpool shirt with the quality of Manchester City and the players they have around them and how quickly they can counter attack as well. So, this is going to be the sort of acid test for him in that role.
I still do think Liverpool are still looking for a holding midfield player. They put a bid in for [Moises] Caicedo when [Mac Allister had already been signed] so that tells you, I think, that they're still looking for somebody in that role. But whether that happens in January or next summer because on the back of pulling out of that transfer, he went and brought [Ryan] Gravenberch, who's a number eight. So maybe they then thought, 'Well, okay, we'll play Mac Allister as the lone six for the rest of the season', and Liverpool have done really well, but at times you will get caught out defensively.
There's no doubt about that, because he probably lacks that defensive instinct or pace, really. I think if he was playing in that role alongside someone else, if you were playing like a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-4-2, it'd probably be a little bit more suited. But at times when you play 4-3-3, you can get isolated a little bit, and if you have a lack of pace it can get found out. We've just seen that on a few occasions.
But we've also seen there's quality on the ball, and that'll be very important at Manchester City as well. It can't be a case of Liverpool just sort of defending and trying to counter-attack. Liverpool have got to be brave on the ball, so Mac Allister will be vitally important to take the ball in difficult situations and get Liverpool to play it.
A lot of games, teams against Liverpool will drop off and Mac Allister will have time on the ball and he can pick his passes. But I think Manchester City will be aggressive, they'll press because they're at at home, they'll try and get on top of Liverpool so I think when he's receiving the ball, I think it's vitally important he protects the ball really well but also he's really aware of what's around him and he can get his little one touch passes that he likes around the corner and set Liverpool free because it'll be tough to play out, but we know how both teams will play. Both teams will try and play through the lines. They'll both press from the front and whoever does that best will come out on top.
It was interesting going into the summer and thinking how long would it take Liverpool to get back alongside Manchester City and get competing again. I think it's a bit early to say that, but they are competing right now in terms of when you look at the league table. So it feels like a really big game.
Liverpool were so poor last season. There was always going to be an improvement. Liverpool have made a start that I wouldn't say is surprising, but it's nice to see that it hasn't taken so many new players time to settle in and gel with the rest of the players, so that's the pleasing thing.
But a team of Liverpool's stature should be in and around these positions where they are right now. They're not the only team alongside Manchester City. Arsenal are there, Tottenham have been there in the last couple of weeks and Aston Villa are not too far away, so this is the position that Liverpool should be in.
There's a long way to go, but it's been a very promising start. Liverpool had a really difficult start, I would say, in the first six to eight fixtures, and then the last few were a little bit easier on paper, but then they go and draw at Luton, so that just shows the nature of the Premier League.
But they've now got the toughest fixture, I'd possibly say, in world football. When you look at Manchester City's record, certainly in home games, 23 on the bounce, so it's going to be mightily difficult for Liverpool to get three points.
I still think Manchester City have got the edge on Liverpool right now so I think Liverpool are almost still building to almost get back to where they were.
But, I'll tell you what, if Liverpool could get a result at Manchester City, and even go and win that game, it'd certainly blow the title wide open.
Yeah, I still see City just above Liverpool at the moment, even if Liverpool got a result. But I think if Liverpool got a result, you'd be thinking, 'Okay, Liverpool could really challenge for the title'. Certainly my feeling right now is just to make sure, not that Liverpool challenge for the top four, but getting the top four. That's the first thing for me.
I think there's another level then where you're actually going for the title, and then there's another level where you're actually thinking, 'We can win this league', and I think if Liverpool do get a result against Manchester City, and that could be a draw, I could say, 'You know what, Liverpool could push this and really challenge City'.
I don't think they could get above them, but I think they could really push them and challenge them. But it's one game, it's not going to make that much difference, but I think psychologically for Liverpool to go away to the champions and get a result that'll give them great belief that they can be in with a shout when we get beyond Christmas.
I'd have to favour Man City. They might just edge it. I'm hoping there'll be goals in it.
I think Liverpool can cause real problems. I'm not sure I can see Liverpool winning there, to be honest, but I think they could easily get a draw from there, like a 2-2 - something where there's goals, a bit of a crazy game.
But you have to make Man City favourites.
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