As reported last week by Liverpool FC, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be back after the international break, which could directly impact their title race.
Liverpool FC quoted gaffer Jurgen Klopp saying,
"Oxlade, I heard nothing new about it so there’s no rush now. Of course not for the weekend anyway, but in general after international break he will be 100 per cent fit."
This is huge news for Liverpool as they currently sit above Manchester City, who have a game in hand, by just two points. Klopp’s men have not been running at full force this season, as they have struggled to score goals in key games, resulting in dropped points.
Looking at the recent fixtures, Liverpool have been held scoreless against Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Everton. Each of these three games the Reds have faltered in the midfield and have lacked that creative force to get the ball into the deadly front three of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, and of course, Mo Salah.
After losing Phil Coutinho to Barcelona last winter, it was easy for Oxlade-Chamberlain to hop into the squad and take his place as the attacking midfielder of the group. The English midfielder was very successful in doing so, as he provided pace, long-range shooting, and creativity in the middle of the pack.
However, when he was injured against Roma in the Champions League semifinal, Liverpool seemed to really lose a key spark. Naby Keita has not been able to really find his way in the team yet, and the combination of Jordan Henderson and James Milner can be very frustrating for Liverpool fans, offensively at least.
The 25 year-old Chamberlain linked up with Salah five times for goals last season, and the Egyptian will be more than happy to get him back out on the pitch. In addition, he seemed to be Man City’s kryptonite last season, scoring two key goals against them, one in the Premier League and one in the Champions League.
“The Ox, from outside the box!”
— SI Soccer (@si_soccer) April 4, 2018
Martin Tyler nails this almost as well as Oxlade-Chamberlain does. Liverpool up 2-0 on Man City (via @FoxSoccer) pic.twitter.com/rjLPFgjsqu
Everyone must remember his laser of a strike that put Liverpool 2-0 up on the Citizens at Anfield in the first leg of the Champions League duel. There is no doubt his presence in the squad will make an immediate impact on Merseyside if he does make a comeback after the international break.
With seven games to go, along with a maximum of five Champions League fixtures, his addition to the squad will give Jurgen Klopp the ability to rotate the team and keep everyone fresh. Liverpool are fighting a battle on two fronts and this player might just be the X-factor to winning a trophy this season.