Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes his side can reap additional benefit from having Alexis Mac Allister as a makeshift holding midfielder. The Reds boss was dismissive of the suggestion the Argentina international, who usually plays further forward, faces the biggest test of his adaptation into a new role at Manchester City on Saturday. Mac Allister, who joined for £35million from Brighton, has coped well so far filling a hole in a newly-formed midfield with fellow summer signing Wataru Endo, a genuine number six, only entrusted with two Premier League starts, but the prospect of facing Pep Guardiola’s side on their own turf is an entirely different prospect. The 24-year-old’s poorest performances in the role have come away from home – at Wolves, where he was replaced at half-time after returning from international duty in South America, Newcastle and his former club – but that is not a concern for Klopp at this moment in time. When asked whether this will Mac Allister’s biggest test, Klopp replied “No. “I understand that from the outside world it is always about how is a player in this position. but in the end it is all about how the whole team is set up. “Is Macca a natural-born six? No. Did football develop in the last years in directions we couldn’t imagine before? Yes. Does that mean that a player like Macca can play the six. Definitely. “It depends on how the whole team defends. Easy as that. If we do that properly then we have an incredible player in a central position who can find passes, a forward-thinking player. “Do you want a player there who is just knocking players down and when we are in possession he thinks ‘not my job, give me a break’? “I like him there a lot to be honest and we as a team can benefit a lot from it if we make sure we have a really compact formation and that’s what we especially need tomorrow.” The top-of-the-table clash is being billed as the biggest game of the season as Klopp’s side have emerged from a summer midfield rebuild to become City’s main challengers, sitting just a point behind the leaders despite their fifth-place finish in May. But the Liverpool manager insists it should not be used to gauge comparisons with the Premier League champions. “It is not a test how close can we get to City, it is just a super-exciting football game,” he added. “But for us it is not about being excited, we have to prepare it properly and we know we have to be at our best to get a chance. We have that then it is about us to take it. “A lot of things can happen: can we play bad, lose? Possible. Can we play bad and win? I would say it is unlikely, it’s pretty much not possible against City. We can play very good and don’t win, it’s possible. We play very good and win. “This team doesn’t have to pass a test now, the direction we are going – up – is really the right one, that is obvious. “Toulouse (a 4-3 Europa League defeat) we were not good there. I made a lot of changes so it goes on my responsibility, but still no good. Against Luton (a 1-1 draw), we were not good and if we had won the game, we were not good that night. “But in a lot of games this season we were good and deserved what we we got.” Read More Kevin Sinfield says time is of the essence as he prepares to run for MND again LTA urges British tennis fans to show ‘respect’ after Novak Djokovic row at Davis Cup Erik ten Hag prepared for Everton to be ‘mad’ and urges Man Utd to match them Alexis Mac Allister’s performance could be key against Man City – Jan Molby PA selective guide to sport on TV for w/c November 27 Nathan Heaney eyeing middleweight world title fight against Janibek Alimkhanuly

Demarai Gray has completed his move from Everton to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq. The 27-year-old becomes the latest Premier League player to head to the Saudi Pro League, joining Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum at the side managed by Steven Gerrard. Gray’s departure from Goodison Park for an undisclosed fee believed to be £8million comes after his relationship with manager Sean Dyche broke down. The winger aired his grievances on Instagram, saying it was “difficult to play for someone who doesn’t show you respect as a person”. Dyche responded by claiming Gray had effectively gone on strike, making clear he did not want to train as he believed he had secured a move away. Gray made 75 appearances for Everton, scoring 12 goals, after returning to England from Bayer Leverkusen in 2021. He said in a statement: “After two years with Everton, it’s time to say goodbye. I wish everyone at the club the very best and will be forever proud to have played for this great team. “To the fans, you were always incredible – thank you for your support. You made it a privilege to wear the shirt. “There has been a lot of speculation about my situation all summer. The truth is, I gave my all to this club on and off the pitch through good and bad. “I was ready to play as much football as possible this season but it felt like this was not going to happen. It’s time for my next chapter. I am match fit and excited to get playing.” Gray will join his new team-mates following international duty with Jamaica. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Samit Patel to leave Nottinghamshire at end of season after 22-year career Mark Wood says big money T20 offer is testing his ‘love’ of playing for England Football rumours: Joao Palhinha in the sights of Bayern Munich for January swoop

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Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have “signed” contracts to meet in an undisputed heavyweight title fight. Fury said in a post on Instagram that he will fight Usyk for all four belts in Saudi Arabia, in what would be the first undisputed heavyweight title bout in a generation. Fury did not disclose any further details about the fight but his promoter Frank Warren confirmed the deal had been done. “Delighted to finally get this fight signed,” Warren said. “This is the biggest fight that could possibly be made in our sport. “The heavyweights always spark the imagination of the fans, and I have no doubt this will be the biggest boxing event of the century.” The date of the contest, which will take place in Riyadh, has not been announced, however. Fury and Usyk had previously been in talks over a heavyweight showdown but discussions collapsed ahead of a proposed April bout at Wembley Stadium. Ukrainian Usyk, 36 , is unbeaten in 21 fights, having last knocked out Daniel Dubois last month in Poland. Fury has not been in action since knocking out Dereck Chisora last December, and the WBC champion, 35, is also unbeaten in 34 fights - with 33 wins and a draw. “You can’t run rabbit run anymore Usyk, you’re getting it,” Fury wrote on Instagram. Fury is set to face former UFC world heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in a crossover fight on October 28, but his WBC belt will not be on the line. Britain’s Lennox Lewis was heavyweight boxing's last undisputed champion in 1999. Read More Ngannou reveals how Jones mega-fight can happen after Fury boxing match Tyson Fury ‘tried to pay’ to halt filming of Netflix reality show KP’s World Cup preview and Tyson Fury’s new arrival – Monday’s sporting social Joe Joyce on knockouts, oil painting, and teaching 60-year-olds to swim How Canelo, boxing’s final throwback, can further cement his sporting legacy Who is fighting on the Canelo vs Charlo undercard?

India surged past a landmark 100 medals at the Asian Games in Hangzhou with golds in archery and kabaddi on Saturday, on a bumper final...