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Photo by Daniel Jayo/Getty Images
A hamstring strain against Crystal Palace wasn’t enough to keep Mac Allister from international duty and he is expected to face Bolivia.
Having been removed at the half against Crystal Palace in Liverpool’s final game before the October international break due to a thigh issue, there was some trepidation when Alexis Mac Allister was still called on to subsequently travel to join the Argentine camp.
National team manager Lionel Scaloni didn’t use Mac Allister in last Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Venezuela with an eye to managing his fitness, but according to reports out of Argentina the midfielder is expected to start on Tuesday night in Buenos Aires against Bolivia.
It is perhaps a mixed bit of news for Liverpool manager Arne Slot and the club’s fans, with Mac Allister’s return to fitness the positive side of the story and the inevitable risk of injury or re-injury while on international duty if the player is being pushed to return too soon.
If everything goes well in for Mac Allister against Bolivia the distances and timezones would mean the player would make his return to England on Wednesday from Buenos Aires and be expected to arrive back on Merseyside on Thursday before Sunday’s Chelsea match.
Argentina currently sit first in CONMEBOL qualification standings for the 2026 World Cup having played nine of 18 qualifiers, with every country in the ten-nation confederation playing home and away against every other and six auto-qualifier berths up for grabs.
