Sadio Mane could miss up to six weeks for Liverpool due to injury so this is the chance for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to step up.
Liverpool’s Sadio Mane attends a team training session at the club’s Melwood training complex.
Liverpool have confirmed that Sadio Mane could miss up to six weeks of action after sustaining a hamstring injury while playing for Senegal during the World Cup qualifiers.
This is a huge blow for the Reds, who have previously struggled when Mane has been absent due to injury, suspension or international duty in the African Cup of Nations.
Demarai Gray of Leicester City and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain of Liverpool battle for possession during the Carabao Cup Third Round.
However, what is a blow to the 25-year-old could actually represent a huge opportunity for one of his teammates and someone who has failed to truly impress since a £35m (BBC) move from Arsenal this summer – Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The BBC reported that Oxlade-Chamberlain rejected the chance to join Chelsea and instead chose Merseyside because of a desire to start playing in central midfield, but for the majority of his career the England international has featured out wide and he now needs to seize this chance while it’s there.
Jurgen Klopp, manager of Liverpool, speaks to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain before he comes on during the Premier League match against Burnley.
In his six appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side since making the switch from the Gunners the 24-year-old has been used as a winger and with his pace and ability to drive at defenders with the ball, could be the ideal replacement for Mane.
Oxlade-Chamberlain may not be at the same level as his Senegalese counterpart, but then few are, and with many already questioning whether the decision to sign him was the correct one this is the moment to prove all those doubters wrong.
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