9 outrageous stats that prove Alexis Mac Allister is currently the Premier League’s best player

Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister has proven himself to be one of the signings of the season, having produced some breathtaking individual displays in recent weeks as they push Manchester City and Arsenal for the Premier League title.

It would be overstating to suggest that Mac Allister was a hidden gem, as some pundits have attempted to in recent weeks.

When he signed for Liverpool last summer, he’d just come off a superb 2022-23 campaign, in which he played a key role in Argentina’s World Cup triumph in Qatar while being among Brighton’s standout players as they enjoyed the best season in the club’s history.

Nevertheless, the reported £35million fee represented excellent value in the context of last summer’s transfer market – his former midfield partner Moises Caicedo went to Chelsea for almost three times that, while Liverpool received more from Saudi Pro League Al-Ittihad for a legs-gone Fabinho.

He’s proven to be an excellent addition to Jurgen Klopp’s squad and an absolute bargain.

The 25-year-old didn’t hit the ground running, with Dominik Szoboszlai earning more rave reviews in the early months of the season, but he’s really come into his own of late and arguably been Liverpool’s best player as they approach the business end of their title charge.

“He is a super important player for us, a wonderful boy,” Klopp marvelled after another virtuoso performance from Mac Allister in Liverpool’s 3-1 victory over Sheffield United.

“I met his dad after the game. He said thank you, I said gracias. That was the full conversation! I said hola as well and then my Spanish ends. Wonderful player, wonderful boy and really happy for Liverpool that we got him.

“It was not about him being in the wrong position. He played a good game in the first half too. You can play a game like this with a footballing 6 if you want.

If we talk about Macca – is he better as an 8 or a 6? – There are two different subjects to talk about. One is his defensive part. That was obviously really good. I prefer him in eight as well but we are not playing in dreamland.

“We had a problem in the position tonight and in the end it worked out. The impact he can have is massive from everywhere.”

The last World Cup winners Liverpool signed – & how they fared

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name Liverpool’s 30 most expensive transfers of all-time?

Here are nine stats that sum up quite how good Mac Allister has been of late:

– Mac Allister has either scored or assisted in eight of his last 10 appearances – including each of his last six – in all competitions for the Reds. The League Cup final victory over Chelsea is the only match since Valentine’s Day that he’s started and failed to score or assist.

– In total, over his last 10 outings, Mac Allister has notched five assists and five goals.

– Liverpool set a new Premier League record for possession share (83.1%) in their 3-1 victory over Sheffield United. Mac Allister was integral in that in his man-of-the-match display, notching 78 completed passes – four fewer alone than Blades managed between them all night. Sheffield United’s top passer completed just 13, for context.

– His superb strike that put Liverpool ahead against Sheffield United registered just 0.08xG.

• • • •

9 outrageous stats that prove Alexis Mac Allister is currently the Premier League’s best player

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every South American to play for Liverpool in the Premier League?

• • • •

– Of Mac Allister’s nine direct goal contributions in the Premier League this season (four goals, five assists), eight have had an important impact on the game state – either drawing Liverpool level or putting them ahead. Big moments player.

– Only Virgil van Dijk and Luis Diaz have played more minutes for Liverpool than the robust Argentinian this season.

– Mac Allister has a 92.3% penalty conversion rate in his career, including nine of 10 scored in the Premier League. He’s scored each of his last nine spot-kicks taken, two of which have been for the Reds this season.

– His four non-penalty Premier League goals this season have come from an xG

– He’s already notched as many Premier League assists in his first 24 appearances for Liverpool as he did across 98 appearances in the competition for Brighton.