Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister shares how he really feels about Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo

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Sunday’s Carabao Cup final once again pits Liverpool against Chelsea at Wembley.

The Reds and the Blues faced off for the same trophy in 2022, while also doing battle in the FA Cup final in the same year. Liverpool won both games on penalties.

But as well as being a chance for Chelsea to get revenge, the match-up once again throws up the narrative surrounding Moises Caicedo. The Ecuadorian sensationally rejected a huge move to Liverpool last summer to join Chelsea instead.

In turning down the Reds, Caicedo gave up the chance to immediately reunite with former Brighton teammate Alexis Mac Allister. The pair were brilliant for the Seagulls last season and could have brought that same form to Anfield. But asked about Caicedo by The Times in the build-up to tomorrow’s game, Mac Allister says he harbours no ill-will to his fellow South American.

“Maybe he hurt me a little bit with what happened in the summer,” says the 25-year-old, reportedly ‘with a smile’.

“But it is completely fine. It is a personal decision. He is an amazing player and a really good guy and I wish him well — but not on Sunday.”

Mac Allister makes Caicedo admission

You can imagine that Caciedo and Mac Allister would have been a brilliant partnership for Liverpool – just as they were at Brighton.

The 22-year-old may have struggled a touch since arriving at Stamford Bridge, but so has just about everyone who’s joined Chelsea in the last 12 months.

With a more settled team around him – and a better manager – it’s likely that Caicedo would have thrived.

Had he moved to Liverpool, it would also have meant that Mac Allister wouldn’t have had to play an unfamiliar defensive midfield role so much.

Although the Argentine has done really well playing in a deeper position, it hasn’t been ideal at times for the Reds. With Caicedo in behind him, that wouldn’t have been necessary.

Of course, Liverpool went out and got Wataru Endo when Moises told them ‘no.’ Endo has been a revelation over the past couple of months and has meant that the Reds have not been stung by Caicedo’s decision.

But over the long run, there’s little question that the Chelsea man would have been a better addition.

Still, if we had to go back in time and pick just one of Brighton’s midfielders to sign last summer, we wouldn’t have changed it.

Mac Allister is in brilliant form and has been such a good signing for Liverpool. As he prepares for his first final as a Red, it’s fitting that it’s against his old pal from the South Coast. So far, Macca has had the better of the pair’s big summer moves. Let’s hope that script continues to be followed tomorrow.