Skip to content

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain says he'll keep pushing for Liverpool start

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain warms up ahead of the Premier League football match between Manchester City and Liverpool
Image: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain says he has "had to be patient", after joining Liverpool from Arsenal

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is targeting a regular place in Liverpool's starting XI, after marking his first Premier League start for the Reds with a goal.

Oxlade-Chamberlain netted Liverpool's third goal in their 4-1 win over West Ham on Saturday, as his side climbed to fifth with a second win from their last three league games.

Since joining for £35m from Arsenal in August, Oxlade-Chamberlain has endured a stuttering start to life at Anfield but hopes his first league goal will increase his opportunities on Merseyside.

"It's never easy coming into a new team with as much quality as we've got here," he told the club's official website.

"It takes time to settle in and learn a new formation and style of play."

"I've had to be patient; I'd have liked to have played as much as I can, that's natural.

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 04:  Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain of Liverpool celebrates scoring his sides third goal during the Premier League match
Image: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored his first Premier League goal for Liverpool in their victory over West Ham

"The only thing I can do when I get the chance is try to impress and help the team to win, with goals and creating chances.

Also See:

"I'm going to keep trying to do that and keep pushing for starting places, just as everyone else will. That's the best thing - competition for places."

Jurgen Klopp last week claimed the midfielder's recent form merited an England call-up, after he was left out of Gareth Southgate's squad for this month's upcoming friendlies.

Oxlade-Chamberlain and Daniel Sturridge were two notable absentees from the squad selected to face Germany and Brazil.

But the 24-year-old revealed the boss set his players a challenge of entering the break off the back of a positive result domestically.

"The most important thing is that we're winning. I'm happy with the result and obviously it was nice to start as well," he added.

Liverpool's Senegalese midfielder Sadio Mane
Image: Liverpool have five wins from 11 league games

"The manager said it could be a great week and it was up to us how good the week would be, and how nice the next week will be.

"We knew we had to win and we wanted to win. We wanted to finish on 19 points by the end of the game.

"The boys were right on it all the way through the game to get that done.

"It's the international break now - we can go away and regroup and then hit the ground running again."

Play Super 6
Play Super 6

Simply predict six correct scores to win the £250k jackpot. Enter your selections for free here.

Around Sky