Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has rushed to the defence of former Arsenal star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after his inauspicious start to life at his new club.
Oxlade-Chamberlain, signed by Liverpool for £40million in late August, made his debut in a 5-0 hammering at Manchester City earlier this month.
The 24-year-old endured an even more frustrating game on his first start for Liverpool in Tuesday’s 2-0 EFL Cup third round loss at Leicester. Oxlade-Chamberlain’s performance was widely pilloried on social media after he struggled with his set-piece delivery and passing radar.
But Klopp, who revealed his summer signing had been playing through the pain barrier, insisted Oxlade-Chamberlain had been “unlucky” not to have enjoyed a more successful full debut.
“It was his first game from the start, nothing else,” said the Liverpool boss.
“After a game like this, that you lost and he didn’t make the best game in his life, people probably ask ‘Where is the impact he can make?’ But I’m not in doubt about this.”
Klopp added: “Ox had a few really good situations and a few unlucky situations.
In Pictures | Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain arrives at Liverpool | 6/9/2017
“I thought he did really well in the moments when you could see that he tries to adapt to the style of play and all that stuff.
“He had a little problem with the calf, not an injury but a little problem. We all need to get used to this and manage it a little bit better.”
