Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp excited by return of ‘difference-maker’
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is looking forward to the return of his „difference-maker“ Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Liverpool are in Premier League action at Fulham on Sunday, when the England international is poised to make his first appearance in a matchday squad since suffering a knee injury in pre-season.
It will be the 27-year-old’s second comeback from a knee problem, although it is not even close to as long a lay-off as when he was sidelined for 366 days after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament, rupturing his lateral collateral ligament, damaging his medial ligament and tearing a hamstring tendon off the bone in a tackle during a Champions League semi-final.
There was some criticism of the player’s performances after he returned first time around but Klopp said that was unfair.
„I don’t understand these kinds of discussions, to be honest. You have to be injured once in your life to understand how difficult it is to find everything completely natural and normal again after that,“ he said.
„Being compared to the best moment of your career after coming back from an injury is a really dumb thing to do – ‘oh he’s not that good any more’ – I have no time for that.
„Ox is an outstanding player, an outstanding player, was always and will always be.
„In training, what Ox did so far you can see his quality immediately. Immediately. He is a difference-maker, you can see that.
„Did he always play perfectly well? No. But he had a few really good games that helped us a lot.
„The longer he can stay without injury the better he will be. This time we are really confident we can do that until the end of his career.“
Liverpool have missed Oxlade-Chamberlain’s drive and goalscoring ability from midfield but Klopp is confident it will not be long before they are witnessing it again.
And he believes the team will benefit from having the midfielder around again.
„He is just a very positive person, very optimistic person. In a moment when Ox joins parts of team training again, everybody gets the benefit of that. That’s the way he is,“ Klopp added.
„You don’t know that you are missing him because he is not there for a long time and then the moment he comes in and is in the gym with the players they say ‘OK, right…it’s much better when he is here’. That’s Ox.
„In the first few weeks the boys get all the help they need, but then, especially with Ox, he is the energy-giver, he doesn’t need too much energy from other people.“
Alisson could face Fulham, doubts over Jota
Klopp says goalkeeper Alisson has returned to training and could feature against Fulham but admits there are doubts over the fitness of Diogo Jota.
Alisson has missed the last three matches after suffering a hamstring injury against Brighton on November 28, with academy graduate Caoimhin Kelleher deputising in his absence.
The Brazil international returned to training on Friday and could feature at Craven Cottage if he passes a fitness test.
Klopp also confirmed Jota picked up a knock in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Midtjylland in the Champions League and is a doubt for the trip to Fulham, as is defender Kostas Tsimikas.
„We had some niggles I would say, but we have to see. The diagnosis is not finally done,“ said Klopp.
„Kostas, we have to see. Diogo got a knock as well – that is it from the game I think.“
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