Oxlade-Chamberlain plays his way into Klopp’s selection thoughts

Liverpool’s deadline-day signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be in line for his first Champions League start for the club after impressing manager Jurgen Klopp.

Oxlade-Chamberlain plays his way into Klopp’s selection thoughts

The England international has featured in eight matches since his £35m (€39.3m) arrival from Arsenal but has made only one start.

However, he enjoyed an encouraging late cameo from the bench against Manchester United at the weekend and that could be enough to get him a place in the team against Maribor.

“I don’t know about the line-up today. He is my mind... if it is about a start you will see tomorrow,” said Klopp.

“Since Alex came in he has been twice with the national team, there have been a lot of games with no training and so his start has been interrupted.

“He is a big signing for us, obviously, but a fast player like him needs the circumstances to perform so he needed time.

“So far it has been okay but not what we know he is able to do.

“But then Saturday ‘Bang!’. Comes on, uses his speed, really spot on, it was a very nice sign. I loved to see it.

“I was not only happy about his offensive situation a lot (against United) I also liked the way he reacted after we lost the ball, little things.

“I cannot say how happy I was to see Chambo playing like this.

“I said he needed a little bit of time and my most positive thing was that finally he has arrived, but it always takes time.”

Klopp has suggested Oxlade-Chamberlain could fill one of three positions for his side but in order to help him bed in will only utilise him out wide for the time being.

That may help the player and the team, who have a void to fill with forward Sadio Mane out for six weeks with a hamstring injury.

“At the moment it is more the wing than the (number) eight,” added the Reds boss.

“At the moment it is clear but I know it is a long-term thing and so without training and playing in the middle of the park it doesn’t make sense.

“For now it makes more sense to pick him in the more offensive positions — but it is not fixed for the next five years.”

Meanwhile, Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren has accused United striker Romelu Lukaku of deliberately flicking a boot into his face during Saturday’s goalless draw at Anfield.

Shortly before half-time the Croatia international was involved in a clash with the former Everton forward which resulted in the centre-back rolling around on the floor holding his face.

The Belgium international was not punished by referee Martin Atkinson at the time and it was confirmed yesterday will face no retrospective action from the video review panel despite Lovren claiming his foot had connected with his cheekbone.

“I made a tackle there. I just felt he was over me and he could move away but to be honest my point of view is that he did it on purpose,” said Lovren.

“Even if he did it normally he would apologise after that but I saw he was nervous during the game so maybe that was also the reason.”

Asked whether he was disappointed Lukaku would not face any further punishment Lovren added: “That happened on the pitch and it is over.

“I cannot change it and no-one can change it so that is what I am thinking about.

“This is not my decision. I cannot say I am disappointed but it is what it is.

“We need to move on.

“That is football, part of the game.”

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