Alexis Mac Allister has praised the smooth transition Arne Slot has made into the Liverpool hot seat.
The Reds have dominated the Premier League, sitting six points ahead of second-place Arsenal, and they cruised into the Carabao Cup final on Thursday. Despite being an integral player for the team, the Argentinian midfield maestro was called from the bench late on as Liverpool thrashed Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 at Anfield.
They turned around a 1-0 loss from the first leg of the semi-final and are now set to take on Newcastle United at Wembley in March, shooting for Slot's first piece of silverware since taking over. There had been some scepticism regarding how Liverpool might adapt after Jurgen Klopp's era, particularly with the last season under his guidance not finishing as hoped.
Mac Allister initially had reservations about a new figure filling Klopp's boots but acknowledged that Slot has exceeded what he expected. When discussing the predecessor's departure from Liverpool, Mac Allister told La Media Inglesa: "He is a legend.
"It was sad, but it was his decision, and you need to respect that. It was a difficult season. When you get a new coach, things change, and anything can happen. We were lucky because the club found a great coach. Arne is great.
"We are doing better than people expected. It's much better than I thought we would do, to be honest. And that's because of him. He is very strong and ambitious."
Mac Allister made the move to Liverpool from Brighton in 2023, stepping into a more defensively focused position in what became Klopp's last campaign managing the squad. The player has opened up about his preference for playing in the slightly altered midfield formation under Slot.
His boss said last month: "When I think about Macca, I cannot come up with a poor performance from him he is so consistent in his performances." Ever-dependable, Mac Allister has been in the starting line-up for almost every league match when fit, and has played a crucial role as Liverpool clinched the top spot in the new Champions League format.
Many spectators were taken aback by Liverpool's outstanding run during the season's earlier stages, especially since the team had introduced just one new face over the summer. Nonetheless, Klopp had meticulously prepared the groundwork that allowed the Reds to find renewed success, an effort acknowledged by Mac Allister, who attributes his decision to join largely to the former coach.
He explained: "Klopp, along with [technical director] Julian Ward, were the most important people for me being here. They showed great interest in me, and I had a conversation with Klopp before signing. That was very important to know that they really wanted me here and that I would play and be an important part of the team."