Mac Allister lifts lid on Slot meeting that changed everything | OneFootball

Liverpool have been given a rare glimpse into Arne Slot’s behind-the-scenes work after Alexis Mac Allister explained how a key meeting helped sharpen our focus during a difficult, injury-hit period.

The 27-year-old Argentina international made clear that Slot’s message was simple and practical, and that the squad responded quickly in the matches that followed.

“The manager had a really good meeting where he said that we needed to improve in both boxes.”

Mac Allister’s point is that this was not about grand speeches or trying to manufacture pressure, because Slot focused on the areas that decide matches when fine margins are involved.

“That’s what we wanted and I think we showed it in the last two games.”

That backing feels significant given how loud the noise has been around Slot at times this season, with some criticism drifting into the kind of personal abuse Virgil van Dijk has already spoken about when addressing the “disrespect” aimed at our head coach.

Slot meeting message: why “both boxes” is a clear Liverpool fix

(Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

The phrase “both boxes” lands because it covers two things we have been inconsistent with, which is converting our moments at one end and defending ours with more control at the other.

Mac Allister also described a clear behavioural change that followed the meeting, and it is the sort of detail that points to a coaching intervention rather than coincidence.

“But we were more aggressive, we pressed a little bit more.”

Slot has not been able to work with a fully fit squad for long spells, and Mac Allister acknowledged that reality without using it as an excuse.

“We have many players that are injured, so it’s not that easy, but we are getting there.”

That context matters because it frames why Liverpool’s season has felt stop-start, even as Opta Analyst data shows we have been difficult to beat since MD13, with just one defeat in 12 league matches.

Why Mac Allister’s Slot praise carries extra weight at Liverpool

(Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

Mac Allister’s standing in the group is not in question, and his numbers underline how central he has been for Slot across competitions.

Alexis Mac Allister has played 34 times in 2025/26, scoring three goals and registering four assists, which ties him with Virgil van Dijk for the most appearances in our squad.

That reliance is also relevant when rumours surface about interest from elsewhere, with Mac Allister’s father previously insisting the midfielder is happy and focused on Liverpool, which fits with how publicly supportive the player has been of Slot’s work.

Mac Allister also touched on the growing understanding between Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike, which connects neatly to Slot’s “both boxes” theme because improved combination play is one of the quickest ways to generate cleaner chances.

“I think they complement each other really well.

“We can notice that they love to play one-twos and these kind of things, which is really good because they can generate goals and assists in just a moment like this [clicks fingers].”

With Manchester City next, Mac Allister’s underlying point is that Liverpool do not just need a good performance, because Slot is pushing for a repeatable standard that holds up even when squad depth is tested.

“We are in a good moment but we need to keep working and keep improving.”

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