Alexis MacAllister looks more of a bargain with each week as he saved Liverpool yet again to keep their title bid on track.
Liverpool were heading towards a damaging draw against bottom-club Sheffield United before MacAllister fired home a thunderbolt 14 minutes from time to settle this clash. His fourth goal in his last six games took Liverpool back top of the Premier League above Arsenal heading into Sunday’s showdown with Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Chuck in three assists with those goals and MacAllister is driving on Liverpool’s bid for a 20th title in Jurgen Klopp’s final season. Liverpool paid Brighton just an initial £35million for MacAllister in the summer and the Argentinian World Cup winner is an absolute steal.
He created Mohamed Salah’s winner against Brighton on Sunday with a quick, sliderule pass and he dug Liverpool out of another hole last night. MacAllister did all this from the holding midfield role and he played in this position in place of the injured Wataru Endo.
The Blades pushed Liverpool hard - just as they did at Bramall Lane - and their organised, massed ranks frustrated the home side, despite the Reds’ record 83.1 per cent possession. The warning signs were there in the opening seconds when Caoimhin Kelleher saved from the unmarked James McAtee at his back post with his foot.
Normal service was resumed as Liverpool laid siege to the Blades goal and Ivo Grbic touched over a Mohamed Salah shot before Virgil van Dijk headed wide. Salah shot over from the right and Liverpool’s opener on 17 minutes was a real gift for the Reds.
Grbic took far too long over Jack Robinson’s back pass, allowing Nunez to charge down his clearance and the ball rebounded home into the net for his 18th goal of the season. Liverpool had more chances as they camped outside the Blades box and Nunez bulldozed his way into the box, only for Grbic to save his shot.
Joe Gomez and MacAllister fired potshots wide before Ryan Gravenberch shot straight at Grbic and Liverpool struggled to create clear openings against United’s massed defence. The half chances continued to come and go for Liverpool and Dominik Szoboszlai’s 25-yard effort was plucked from the air by Grbic before Luis Diaz dragged a 20-yard shot wide.
For all of Liverpool’s dominance, United almost snatched an equaliser in first-half stoppage time when Kelleher parried Jayden Bogle’s shot. The Reds had to be careful not to leave the back door open and Kelleher reacted well to save Hamer’s free-kick after Ibrahima Konate fouled Ben Brereton Diaz.
They failed to heed this warning and the Blades levelled on 57 minutes when McAtee’s cross was headed home by Hamer at the back post via a deflection off Conor Bradley. Klopp’s reaction was instant and he took off Salah, who was none too pleased, and Gravenberch.
Liverpool cranked up the pressure and substitute Andy Robertson volleyed just wide of the back post. A winner was coming and MacAllister delivered it on 76 minutes with a stunning strike.
The Blades could only clear the ball to him 20 yards out and he hit a superb right-foot shot into the top corner. MacAllister was denied a second by the woodwork when his 25-yard free-kick hit the post with Grbic beaten.
Cody Gakpo scored the third goal Liverpool’s dominance deserved a minute from time when he headed home Robertson’s cross.
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