‘I was not sure’ - Jurgen Klopp makes surprise Alexis Mac Allister transfer admission ahead of Brighton return

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits they have not had time to properly assess where World Cup-winner Alexis Mac Allister fits into their side.

The Argentina midfielder has started all seven of the club’s Premier League fixtures since arriving from Brighton for an initial fee of £35m, but has been deployed in the nominal holding role after the departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabia left them short in that department.

Mac Allister has shown he is far more effective further forward in one of the attacking midfield positions, and while he has done a job for Klopp, it appears unlikely he is the long-term solution.

He was even substituted at half-time of the win at Wolves, having flown back from Bolivia after the international break after looking well off the pace.

Nevertheless Klopp is satisfied with what he has had from the 24-year-old so far. “We didn’t even look for his best position yet. We just use him,” he said.

“He is a fantastic player, I love everything about him: super-smart tactically and off the pitch as well, so that is really nice to work with.

“If we as a team defend well, he can play definitely the number six. Did I know that before? I had a guess but I was not sure because I did not know exactly how all the other boys would do defending.

“Because we defend more compact and better than in our bad phases last year, we have small spaces and then it is really good because he sees the situations really well.

“We have a really good footballer and it is really cool but best position? He is too young for me to know it but he is a midfielder, I can tell you that. He is a midfielder and I am happy about having him.”