Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister has told ESPN the Premier League club are “on the right track” under new coach Arne Slot.
Slot — who took over from Jürgen Klopp this summer after nine successful years in charge for the German — has guided Liverpool to two Premier League wins from two so far.
“I think for many people it’s different, and very strange, even for the fans, because [Klopp] was there for nine years,” Mac Allister told ESPN Argentina.
“I’ve been there for only a year, I’m used to changing coach. We have a new coach with a lot of ambition, and a desire to win. The club is on the right track.”
Mac Allister has started both of Liverpool’s Premier League games so far, playing in a deep-lying midfield role.
“What I want most is to be able to help the team,” Mac Allister said, when asked where he feels most comfortable.
“This season it’s my turn [to play as a holding midfielder] and I feel that I’ve helped and been at my level and I’ve done well.
“But there is a reality. I’ve always played as a number 10 or as a more attack midfielder, so it’s very difficult for me. I can say that I always like to be in contact with the ball, in the middle of the field. If a coach puts me as a [number] 5 I think it is because he thinks I can help. If I played as a 5, it’s because I have improved a lot on my defensive side.”
Mac Allister said new signing Federico Chiesa — who joined from Juventus this week — “is going to help us a lot.”
Liverpool travel to Old Trafford to face rivals Manchester United on Sunday, but Slot said Chiesa was unlikely to feature.
“He works really hard, on and off the pitch, to try to get the best out of him, and he combines this with scoring goals,” Slot told a news conference on Friday.
“Really aggressive without the ball… can play in so many positions.
“We should take care of him in the beginning because he didn’t train with the team in the last two weeks… we will build him up in the right way and hopefully we can see his quality in the near future.”
Slot played down concerns about the Italy international’s injuries which led to him being sidelined several times last season.
“It’s true that he had a long-term injury with his [anterior cruciate ligament] but, for the rest, I don’t think he had big injuries,” Slot said.
“Minor injuries like every other player maybe. But again, we have a lot of trust in our support staff.”
Information from Reuters contributed to this report.