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Mac Allister fitness concern grows ahead of Ecuador clash

Disrupted start for Argentina midfielder

It has been a frustrating spell for Alexis Mac Allister, whose fitness continues to be a concern at both club and international level. The Liverpool midfielder missed Argentina’s 3-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Venezuela after significant travel delays disrupted his preparation. Originally due to fly from Amsterdam to Buenos Aires, a technical issue forced him to reroute through Paris, only arriving late on Tuesday evening.

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For a player still working his way back to full sharpness, the disruption was far from ideal. His late arrival added to the sense of a campaign already hindered by lingering fitness problems.

Liverpool frustrations linger

Mac Allister has struggled to find rhythm since missing the closing matches of last season through injury. Despite returning to training in late July, he featured sparingly in pre-season and looked short of match sharpness during Liverpool’s opening fixtures. He withdrew from training before the 3-2 win over Newcastle and was substituted after an hour against Arsenal, further underlining the issues.

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Argentina take a gamble

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni appears ready to risk Mac Allister despite his condition. Reports from ESPN Argentina suggest the midfielder is expected to start against Ecuador. Scaloni admitted: “Regarding the presence of Mac Allister, the coach admitted that the midfielder is not 100 percent, but implied that he will be among the starters because ‘he is fine.’”

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For Liverpool, the prospect of their World Cup-winning midfielder being asked to push through fitness problems so soon after his injury is troubling. With Argentina already qualified for next summer’s tournament across the United States, Canada and Mexico, the decision feels unnecessarily risky.

Long-term implications

Liverpool invested heavily in Mac Allister as part of their midfield rebuild, and his adaptability has already made him central to Arne Slot’s plans. Any further setbacks could disrupt both his season and the club’s ambitions. Supporters will hope that careful management prevails, with the midfielder given time to rediscover full fitness rather than being rushed back prematurely.