Alexis Mac Allister grabbed the decisive goal, but Frank Leboeuf believes the Argentine delivered his poorest display yet for Liverpool against Nottingham Forest.
VAR chalked off Mac Allister’s earlier effort after he was judged to have handled the ball, a call backed by former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg.
Despite that setback, the midfielder kept pushing forward and eventually scored again, with the goal confirmed following an offside review in the 97th minute.
It marked Mac Allister’s first Premier League strike of the campaign, yet Leboeuf still felt his overall performance in the victory over Forest was below standard.
Alexis Mac Allister had his ‘worst game’ ever vs Nottingham Forest
The Frenchman analysed Liverpool’s Sunday afternoon league match for ESPN.
Reflecting on the contest, he described Mac Allister’s showing as the worst he has seen from the player in a Liverpool shirt.
He said: “Since arriving at Liverpool, he’s proven himself to be a very important player, but this was the worst game I’ve ever seen Mac Allister play.”
Mac Allister has not hit top form so far this season, but not everyone shared Leboeuf’s view of his display.
Former defender Jamie Carragher instead praised manager Arne Slot for how he adjusted the Argentine’s role during the second half.
Alexis Mac Allister changed position during Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest
Curtis Jones came under scrutiny for his performance in the number 10 position against Forest.
Jones misplaced passes and struggled with the tempo, prompting the Dutch coach to move Dominik Szoboszlai into the pivot role and push Mac Allister further forward – a tactical switch Carragher felt paid dividends.
He said: “The key moment was the manager’s change. Curtis Jones had a difficult first half. When the switch was made, Szoboszlai dropped into Mac Allister’s role and Mac Allister moved higher up the pitch.
“The disallowed goal and the late winner came from those areas. Credit to the manager – I thought the substitutions were excellent.”
It was evident that Mac Allister, who could easily have scored twice, posed a much greater threat when operating as the attacking midfielder.
However, if Florian Wirtz returns for the clash with West Ham United, the former Brighton and Hove Albion player is expected to drop back into a deeper role once again this weekend.
