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Liverpool might not count on Diogo Jota for their trip to Fulham on Sunday, but there will be the return of midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to soften the blow.
Jurgen Klopp is expected to provide an update on Jota when speaking before or after the Premier League clash against Liverpool at 4.30pm, and the Reds are hoping that the Portuguese forward’s knee injury is not as serious as has been speculated.
However, whether Jota misses a period of time or not, the potential impact Chamberlain can have on Liverpool as he tries to establish a lead at the top of the Premier League table cannot be underestimated.
In addition to what Curtis Jones has been up to on center court, the 19-year-old is one of many players whose minutes will need to be monitored for the next several weeks.
Jones has already made as many Premier League appearances this season as he did last time, and in all competitions he has surpassed last year’s total, largely due to being entrusted to him in the Champions League group stage.
Meanwhile, Gini Wijnaldum could use a little more rest, although he was left out of the picture with FC Midtjylland in the middle of the week.
Jordan Henderson will be cooler, but even he won’t be able to play every game.
Chamberlain will provide an additional option in the middle to rotate midfielders, all the more important given that Diogo Jota could be absent for a period of time, which will make the 4-2-3-1 system less attractive, but also has a different skill set than other Liverpool players in that position.
Unpredictability is something Liverpool are always trying to create, and Pep Lijnders has spoken about it on many occasions.
Certainly Oxlade-Chamberlain can provide that too, with no Liverpool midfielder able to move through midfield with the ball at his feet as he can.
“Technically, he has taken some fantastic steps, to be honest. I think there is no question about his football skills; right foot, left foot, speed, physical …” said Jurgen Klopp after his signing, perfectly summing up his key attributes. .
No other Liverpool midfielder has those attributes that can propel the team forward in the same way as Chamberlain, with his outspokenness capable of dragging the Reds onto the field.
Liverpool were one of eight Premier League teams to have scored only once from outside the box so far this season heading into this match weekend, with Aston Villa leading the way with five.
That’s certainly an element of Chamberlain’s game that Liverpool have also been missing, and some of their best moments in the Reds jersey to date have been hitting from distance.
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Even off the field, Klopp has already noticed that Chamberlain’s return is making a difference.
“The moment Ox joined parts of the team’s training again, everyone is going to benefit from that. That’s right,” the German said on Friday.
“You don’t know you miss him because he’s not around for long, but the moment he walks in and he’s in the gym with the players you think, ‘Oh my God, he’s so much better when he’s here!’ That’s Ox. “
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Liverpool have a lot of those characters within Kirkby’s training facility and Anfield dressing room, but the presence of another positive player can only be a good thing.
Having returned from 366 days previously injured, this is not the first time Liverpool have looked forward to the return of the former Arsenal player.
But this time, with injuries limiting Klopp’s options at Liverpool and a busy schedule to continue, Chamberlain’s return to action is as timely as ever.
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