McALLISTER: I’M A BIG FAN OF, ER, MAC ALLISTER

GARY McALLISTER laughs out loud at Liverpool’s Argentine World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister being dubbed ‘Gary’ by his new Anfield team-mates after the summer move from Brighton.

“There’s not much resemblance between a World Cup winner and a big balding Scot! That gave me a giggle,” McAllister chuckled. “Now I understand he prefers to be known as ‘Macca’... which is probably for the best.”

Not that there’s any shame in being linked to the former Scotland star with abundant midfield skill and vision, who won the League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup during his two seasons on

Merseyside at the beginning of the noughties. Now in his ambassadorial role for the club, and his work for Liverpool TV, McAllister (below), 59, has enjoyed a close up view of a player who at £35million has been one of the buys of the season.

And what has impressed

McAllister most is that for the majority of the campaign the selfless Mac Allister has been playing out of position.

The Scot stated: “He has played a lot of the season just sitting in front of the two centre halves as a No.6.

“He wasn’t bought to play there, he was brought in to play further up the pitch. But he has just got on with it. He appears very courteous, very humble, especially bearing in mind that he has won a World Cup.

“The arrival of Wataru Endo who specialises in that more defensive position has allowed Mac Allister to jump forward. But when Endo isn’t in the side Mac Allister goes back into the holding role without any fuss.” It hasn’t stopped the Argentine ace (right) scoring spectacular goals – and critical ones in the title race – like in the recent win over Sheffield United. He struck a 20-yard stunner when it looked like the Blades were frustrating

Jurgen Klopp’s side, with the score tied at 1-1. There was another thunderbolt goal in December’s 4-3 defeat of Fulham.

“The one against Fulham was outstanding but what a goal against Sheffield United!” McAllister enthused. “I was at the game. What a strike, one to get you out of your seat.

“I was doing bits for the TV and we obviously had a monitor in front of us. We were quite close to the Liverpool bench and all the young players rushed over to have another look at that goal.

“He has switched seamlessly from Brighton. In today’s money it’s some business for Liverpool. If you can ever say £35m is a bargain, he is one.”