Opportunity opens up for ideal Alexis Mac Allister midfield replacement

Liverpool’s Champions League round-of-16 first leg against Galatasaray on Tuesday night has been clouded by an injury scare to Alexis Mac Allister, yet the development could hand Curtis Jones the stage on which to reassert his Anfield credentials.

Mac Allister, the Argentinian linchpin whose composure has become central to Arne Slot’s midfield, limped off in the 82nd minute of Friday’s 3-1 FA Cup win at Wolves after a robust challenge from Hwang Hee-chan. Trey Nyoni replaced him, and television pictures suggested the problem was in the 27-year-old’s left knee.

Slot moved quickly to calm fears, replying “I think so, yes” when asked post-match whether Mac Allister would be available for the trip to Istanbul. If the medical staff are not convinced, however, Liverpool believe they possess a ready-made deputy.

Jones, 25, delivered a statement performance against Wolves, completing all 51 of his passes while scoring once and creating another goal. It was the perfect riposte to a patchy run that had prompted questions over his long-term role on Merseyside.

The academy graduate has started four European fixtures this term, impressing in particular against Eintracht Frankfurt and Inter Milan with a metronomic passing rhythm that appears tailor-made for continental football. His ability to retain possession under pressure and break lines with subtle vertical passes has convinced coaching staff that the Champions League environment accentuates, rather than exposes, his strengths.

Should Mac Allister fail a late fitness test, Jones is expected to step straight into the XI. Yet even if the World Cup winner is declared fit, Slot is considering reshaping his midfield to accommodate a player whose resurgence has arrived at the most opportune moment.

With the return leg at Anfield scheduled for 18 March, the manager now faces a welcome selection dilemma: trust the tried-and-tested South American or unleash a Scouse playmaker hitting peak form at the business end of the campaign.

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