Liverpool booked their place in the Champions League last 16 in emphatic fashion as they swept aside Qarabag 6-0 at Anfield, and Alexis Mac Allister has urged the Reds to use the momentum as a launchpad for their Premier League push.
The Argentine midfielder was at the heart of the action, netting twice on a night when Florian Wirtz, Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike and Federico Chiesa also got on the scoresheet.
Reflecting on the dominant display and automatic qualification, Mac Allister stressed the importance of performance and confidence as Liverpool look ahead to domestic battles.
“Yeah, a really important result,” the midfielder said. “The performance, I think it was good, especially second half. I think we pressed really well, had the opportunities and scored some goals, which is important for our confidence. So, happy we went through and now it’s time to think about the Premier League.”
Turning to his brace, the midfielder admitted his attacking instincts paid off, even if a hat-trick narrowly escaped him.
“I love getting in the box and I love scoring goals. I know I don’t do it very often but I really like it and I think with the change at half-time, I went a little bit higher on the pitch and that allowed me to get in the box a little bit more.
“My second goal was a little bit lucky but good and then I’m still thinking about the third one! It could have been a hat-trick, my first one, but the important thing is that it was a good performance, a good result and now it’s time to rest.”
From a defensive standpoint, Mac Allister highlighted Liverpool’s improvement, particularly after the break, as the Reds combined attacking flair with solidity at the back.
“That was the idea. I think the attitude and everything from the guys was really good, especially running backwards and sprinting. So, I think it was a good performance, again especially in the second half.
“First half we were maybe a little bit too open and that’s not what we want, but there are positives [and] there are negatives. Now we have to analyse the game, think about it and go for the next one.”
He also praised the growing understanding between Ekitike and Wirtz, pointing to their creativity as a major asset going forward.
“They love playing small passes between each other. They have an immense quality, everyone can see that, so now we are trying to adapt to them a little bit more and them to us as a team.
“So, the quality is there, it’s just about getting to the right spaces to score goals or be dangerous. They are really good guys, so we are happy to have them [and] we know their quality and now we are going to demand a lot from them as well.”
With Newcastle United and Manchester City next up at Anfield in back-to-back Premier League fixtures, Mac Allister believes the Qarabag win can spark a sustained run.
“That’s what we want. We know that we went through a difficult period, especially after the season that we had last season – we thought that this one was going to be almost the same, but it wasn’t and we have to deal with that.
“There is still positivity, still Champions League to play and FA Cup, so for me it’s about keeping on improving because that’s what we need to do if we want to win something.”
Finally, the midfielder could not hide his excitement at the prospect of another European night under the Anfield lights.
“I love it! I love it, so I’m really looking forward to that. Now we have to wait to see who we play but I’m pretty sure that it’s going to be a special one.”
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