ALEXIS MAC ALLISTER was forced off with an injury midway through Liverpool’s pre-season friendly against Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
Just moments before half time, with the score level at 2-2, the midfielder went down with discomfort after clashing knees with Bayern’s Konrad Laimer.
He was quickly able to get back to his feet before hobbling off the pitch, but Jurgen Klopp made the decision to substitute him as a precaution.
Liverpool went on to lose the game 4-3 despite leading for the majority of the first half.
Cody Gakpo opened the scoring after just two minutes before Virgil van Dijk doubled the advantage.
However, goals from Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane levelled the score just before half time.
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Luiz Diaz then fired the Reds ahead again 20 minutes after the break, but Josip Stansic and Frans Kratzig helped Bayern Munich to a late win.
Liverpool’s defeat was further dampened by the injury to Mac Allister, who joined the club in June.
The midfielder made the £55million move from Brighton to Anfield when the 2022-23 season concluded.
He signed a five-year deal upon his arrival.
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Some fans are now concerned that he could miss the start of the Premier League season, which kicks off next week.
One person tweeted: “Mac Allister better not be injured, our midfield options are limited enough as it is.”
While another added: “Hopefully just a dead leg.”
Despite the concerns, Klopp played down the injury after the match.
He said: “So firstly I got the information that it’s too painful, so that was then clear that we will change. There’s no need to push him through.
“When I spoke afterwards, he said, ‘No, no, I would have been fine.’ But we didn’t want to go [with] any risks. It’s just knee on knee, bruise, that’s it. It was fine.”
The Reds are still on the hunt for midfield reinforcements ahead of their opening league match against Chelsea on August 13.
They have already had a £37m bid for Romeo Lavia rejected by Southampton, but club chiefs are now preparing a second offer.
Midfielders Jordan Henderson and Fabinho both left Anfield last week to join Saudi Pro League clubs Al-Ettifaq and Al-Ittihad respectively.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
