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Liverpool fans are used to seeing Alexis Mac Allister boss the midfield at Anfield.

Since arriving from Brighton, the Argentine has settled quickly and become a key man in the Liverpool squad.

Whether he is breaking up play or picking out a pass, Mac Allister plays with the kind of calmness that makes difficult things look simple.

But even top players like him have those they admire.

And sometimes, it is just as interesting to hear who a player rates highly as it is to watch them play.

It gives fans a look into what top professionals value in others.

Recently, Mac Allister was asked to rank some of Europe’s best young midfield talents.

And his choices might not surprise Liverpool supporters — but the reasons behind them definitely tell a story.

When speaking to Sky Sports, Mac Allister was full of praise for the players he has faced and admired.

He started by sharing his thoughts on Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala:

“Musiala, I played against him in a friendly in my first season at Liverpool.”

“Really good player.

Quick, fantastic skills, very good [technically].”

He also spoke highly of Barcelona’s young star, “Pedri I think is in a very good moment right now.”

But it was Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham who truly stood out to him after facing him in the UEFA Champions League.

“And Jude [Bellingham], of course I knew before that he was a really good player, but when I played against Real Madrid, I could see why.”

“I was really surprised; physically he was really good, and his mentality as well, I think everyone can see.”

When asked to rank the three players, Mac Allister made it clear, “I’m going to put Jude first, Pedri second and Musiala third.

[Bellingham and Pedri] are midfield players and Musiala is more an attacking player.”

“Musiala can score and assist more than the others, but the highest ceiling I would say is Jude?

That’s why he is first.”

Mac Allister didn’t stop there.

He also weighed in on Premier League legends, saying he would rank Steven Gerrard ahead of Kevin De Bruyne and Frank Lampard.

In the current Liverpool squad, he picked Mohamed Salah as the best player.

And when talking about the toughest opponent he has ever faced, he put Brighton teammate Moises Caicedo ahead of Declan Rice and Rodri.

As Liverpool close in on a possible Premier League title, it’s clear that Mac Allister knows quality when he sees it — both on his own team and across Europe.

Read more: Cody Gakpo labels Premier League glory as ‘every footballer’s dream’

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