Having been included in Liverpool’s Champions League squad for the knockout phase of the competition, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain looks set to return from his long-term knee injury earlier than expected.
And while that is great news for manager Jurgen Klopp given how well Oxlade-Chamberlain performed in the tournament last season en route to the final, the 25-year-old’s potential availability will not bode well for everyone.
Competition for a midfield spot in Klopp’s side is already fierce, meaning Oxlade-Chamberlain’s return could worsen the predicament someone like Naby Keita currently finds himself in.
Much was expected of Keita this campaign having joined Liverpool for big money, but the 24-year-old has so far failed to deliver.
It is still early into his Anfield career, of course. Every expectation is that the Guinea international will come good after his adaptation period.
However, given his ability as a footballer, what spectators have seen from Keita so far can only be described as a disappointing.
And having failed to nail down a regular place in Liverpool’s starting XI, it is clear Klopp is not entirely convinced with the level the former RB Leipzig man has been playing at either.
With Oxlade-Chamberlain closing in on a return to action, Keita must up his game or face the possibility of spending an extended period on the Anfield bench.
