Liverpool coach provides update on star midfielder's return to fitness

Argentinian footballer Alexis Mac Allister is ready to help Liverpool in Sunday's Community Shield match against Crystal Palace. However, Dutch manager Arne Slot doesn't plan to give him a full 90 minutes.

The Argentinian international missed part of the English champions' preseason while recovering from injury. He has, however, appeared in two friendlies, playing 28 minutes in a 3-1 win over Yokohama F. Marinos on July 30th and providing an assist in a 4-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao on August 4th after coming on for 56 minutes.

"I think he was out for two months, or even longer, as he didn't play the last four games of last season either. He's been training with us for a week, playing 30, 45 minutes, so it's not a situation where you'd start a player for the full 90. Starting him is possible, but certainly not for the whole match," Slot said, per the Liverpool website.

Mac Allister said last month that his absence wasn't due to one specific injury, but a series of several issues. Slot added that defender Joe Gomez will miss Sunday's clash with the FA Cup winners at Wembley due to a minor injury.

The 26-year-old midfielder Mac Allister, a World Cup winner, has been nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or.