Man Utd, Liverpool and Man City all share same situation ahead of Premier League return
Liverpool, Manchester United, and Manchester City will all feel the same way when Argentina takes on Bolivia at 9 p.m. (UK time) tonight. In World Cup qualifying, the South American nations face off in La Paz, Bolivia, which is 3,580 meters above sea level.
The capital city of Bolivia is situated in the center of the Andes, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, and is the highest in the world.
It is so elevated that visitors can develop altitude sickness, characterized by headaches, shortness of breath, vertigo, and vomiting.
It can also result in increased fatigue and sleeping difficulties. Previous opposing teams and players have alleged that playing so high above sea level is unfair, with Brazil’s Neymar describing the conditions as “inhumane.”
FIFA once imposed an altitude limit restricting the height above sea level at which qualifying matches could be played, but the rule was later repealed in response to objections. La Paz received a special exemption from the norm during its existence.
Prior to the match at Estadio Hernan Siles, Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister posted a picture of himself using a portable oxygen tube on Monday.
And the Merseyside club, along with Manchester United – whose duo of Lisandro Martinez and Alejandro Garnacho are in the squad – and Manchester City – with Julian Alvarez – will all be hopeful that their players can adequately deal with the unique challenges posed by La Paz.
Mac Allister and Alvarez both saw action in Friday’s victory over Ecuador, while Garnacho remained on the bench. Martinez, who incurred a knock against Arsenal prior to halftime, was not included in the matchday squad.
“Licha, as you know, had a problem with his feet,” Argentine manager Lionel Scaloni said after the center-back traveled to meet up with his international teammates. In their most recent match [Arsenal vs. Manchester United], he was in discomfort and was substituted for precautionary reasons. They have conducted investigations, and he is healthy.
Should any of the quartet participate, the three Premier League clubs will closely monitor their performance and recovery from playing football in conditions they are not accustomed to. Liverpool, who face Wolves away at 12.30 p.m. on Saturday, will undoubtedly be concerned.
Given that a direct flight from Bolivia to England takes nearly 12 hours, Mac Allister may not return to training until Thursday. And if there were any lingering effects from playing at such a high altitude, it would be improbable for the Reds’ impressive summer acquisition to play at Molineux.
Martinez is expected to be available for United’s match against Brighton on Saturday at 3 p.m., while Erik ten Hag will need Garnacho. Antony will not play against the Seagulls, and Jadon Sancho may not be involved, so the Argentine may have the opportunity to start. He will definitely receive minutes off the bench.
Alvarez has also made a successful start to the new season for City. The striker scored and earned a penalty in the most recent match against Fulham, following an assist against Burnley and a game-winning goal against Newcastle. If healthy, he is anticipated to start when City faces West Ham on Saturday at 3pm.
Man Utd, Liverpool and Man City all share same situation ahead of Premier League return