Alexis Mac Allister says Andoni Iraola has changed the mood in the Liverpool squad since replacing Arne Slot in the dugout this past summer.
The Reds went trophyless last season as they struggled to defend their Premier League title, finishing fifth in the table, which led to Slot’s exit from the club.
Things are starting to look up for the Merseyside outfit, though, as they picked up their fifth win in six games on Tuesday night, beating Villarreal 4-3 in a thrilling encounter at Anfield in the UEFA Champions League.
Mac Allister, who bagged a brace for Liverpool, is one player who appears to be thriving under the new manager after enduring a poor 2025/26 campaign.
The Argentine midfielder admits that “something wasn’t right in the group” under Slot last term, but things are different with Iraola at the helm.
Mac Allister explains what’s different for Liverpool under Iraola
“Last year was a really difficult year for all of us,” Mac Allister told Amazon Prime after the full-time whistle.
“It was clear I was not at the level and I am the first one to say. Something wasn’t right in the group and this manager changed it. The way we play is different, I don’t like to compare. I’m feeling good.”
Mac Allister believes Iraola’s decision to shift to a man-to-man marking system has benefitted Liverpool, as it requires less communication and thinking during matches.
“Now it’s more man-to-man,” he said. “You have to communicate less. Last year, it was more like a zonal thing. I like both. In the national team, we do zonal and it works. It’s about us taking the responsibility. It’s one of the changes. Now it’s easier, you think less but run more.”
On Iraola, Mac Allister added: “From the first day, I started seeing something. He’s a nice guy, and the coaching staff is too. We are going in the right direction but we need to work and put in everything. Hopefully, we can win some trophies.”
Tuesday’s Champions League results:
- Fenerbahce 2-2 Slavia Prague
- Sabah 1-2 Borussia Dortmund
- Liverpool 4-3 Villarreal
- Manchester City 5-1 AEK Athens
- Napoli 4-3 Bodo/Glimt
- Paris St-Germain 4-2 Barcelona
- Porto 0-1 PSV Eindhoven
- Roma 4-0 Slovan Bratislava
- Stuttgart 1-1 Atletico Madrid
Read – Mac Allister hails Ngumoha as Liverpool beat Villarreal in seven-goal thriller
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