Jurgen Klopp believes Alexis Mac Allister can thrive as Liverpool’s No.6.
Mac Allister will be available again for Klopp’s side in Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash at Manchester City after serving a one-game ban for five bookings.
The World Cup winner arrived at Anfield this summer having played in a more advanced position for former club Brighton and internationally with Argentina.
But Klopp has backed Mac Allister to still shine in his unfamiliar new role and explained the reasons for it ahead of the Reds’ trip to the Etihad Stadium.
He said: “I understand that from the outside world, it’s always about how is the player in this position [or] this position.
“But, in the end, it’s all about how the whole team is set up.
“Is Macca a natural born No. 6? No. Did football develop in the last year in directions that we could not have imagined before? Yes.
“Does that mean a player like Macca can play the No. 6? Definitely, but it depends how the whole team defends – it’s easy as that.
“If you do that properly, you have an incredible player in the central position, an extra player, who can find passes, who is forward thinking.
“Do you want someone there who is just knocking players down and in possession thinks my job is done, give me a break? It’s not that easy.
“I like him there a lot, to be honest. We as a team can benefit a lot from it, if we make sure we have a compact formation and that’s what we need, especially [at City].”