Mac Allister’s Man United chances in doubt after Argentina announcement | OneFootball

Liverpool’s midfield plans for the clash with Manchester United may have been disrupted by Argentina’s late decision to move Alexis Mac Allister’s friendly against Puerto Rico to a new venue and date.

The change, confirmed by TyC Sports, means our No.10 is now set to play on Tuesday night in Miami instead of Monday in Chicago – leaving Arne Slot sweating on his fitness and recovery time before the visit of United.

Argentina fixture change impacts Liverpool’s preparation

(Photo by Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images)

Mac Allister has been carefully managed since the end of last season due to lingering fitness issues, with Arne Slot speaking about his disrupted pre-season.

The 26-year-old has yet to complete a full 90 minutes this campaign, with the coaching staff determined not to overload him as we navigate a packed early-season schedule.

It seems clear our No.10 is not fully fit and Paul Scholes has been critical of his performances of late as well.

Originally, Argentina’s second friendly of the break was to be held in Chicago on Monday (or early Tuesday morning UK time), giving the midfielder five days to return to Merseyside and prepare for United’s visit to Anfield.

However, the TyC Sports report confirms the match will now take place a day later at Chase Stadium, home of Inter Miami, meaning the World Cup winner won’t be back in training until Thursday.

That tighter turnaround could force Slot to look at alternatives such as Curtis Jones, who remained at the AXA Training Centre during the break, or hand Florian Wirtz a start in midfield if Mac Allister isn’t fully ready.

Why Argentina’s game was moved

Picture via @Argentina on X

According to TyC Sports, the fixture switch was made for “organisational reasons” and to allow more time for ticket sales.

However, reports from Argentina also cite ongoing protests in Chicago related to immigration policies under President Donald Trump as a key factor in the decision, with local authorities unable to guarantee safety around the event.

The adjustment means Lionel Scaloni’s squad will stay in Miami for the duration of the tour, avoiding the additional flight north to Illinois but leaving Mac Allister with one less day of recovery before Liverpool’s biggest test of the season so far.

With seven matches crammed into 22 days after the international break, our boss will know that managing the workload of key players like Mac Allister could prove decisive in maintaining Liverpool’s momentum in the title race.

You can watch Slot’s post Chelsea press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:

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