Back and better than ever – The importance of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
By Ryan Gaskin
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s return to fitness and form is not only key for Liverpool, but also for England, and their Euro 2020 hopes.
On Sunday night past, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain won his 35th international cap.
This is a record any player should be proud of, but for Chamberlain, his international career has been highlighted by the games he’s missed, opposed to the games he’s played in.
It’s easy to forget how long the midfielder has been around – Chamberlain’s debut came under Roy Hodgson in 2012, in a team that featured veteran goalkeeper Rob Green. Despite this, the 26-year-old has never really got going.
This is mainly down to injuries, as Chamberlain has been riddled with bad luck for the majority of his career. We all remember the horrific knee injury in April of 2018 when the England international suffered ligament damage whilst playing for Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final vs Roma.
This kept him out for over a year, but even prior to this, Chamberlain constantly spent time on the sidelines, whether it was for Liverpool or his previous club Arsenal.
The ‘Ox’ is due a dose of good luck; Liverpool and England will be hoping for the same, as Oxlade-Chamberlain potentially has a key role in Liverpool’s title challenge and England’s chances at next summer’s Euros.
Before his injury, Chamberlain was finding his way into both teams and looked like he was finally realising the huge potential he showed back in his Arsenal days.