Collymore says Liverpool’s Oxlade-Chamberlain can be England’s new Gascoigne

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Stan Collymore reckons Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is the closest thing England have to a modern-day Paul Gascoigne.

The ex-Red made the observation in a column for The Mirror, before the Three Lions beat Kosovo 4-0 to win their Euro 2020 qualifying group on Sunday.

Oxlade-Chamberlain started in Pristina and received the highest rating of any player from BBC Sport after the game.

He also started against Montenegro days earlier, and Collymore reckons he has the potential to provide the wow factor for his country as Gascoigne so often did in the 90s.

He said: “As for Montenegro, they were ­disappointing and the game left me feeling that we still desperately need a player who can run with the ball from the halfway line to the edge of the opponents’ box next summer. A Paul Gascoigne-type figure.

“The one man who can do it is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

“Now, I’m not comparing him to Gazza, but what I am saying is that he gave us a taster last week of his ability to run with the ball and commit midfielders and defenders – and that’s not something any England player has done well for a long time.

“Maddison and Mount do it from time to time, but not in the same way as the Ox, who can run past players at pace.”

TBR’s view – Bold comments

Collymore says he isn’t comparing, but his comments are unlikely to go down well.

Gascoigne was one of the most naturally gifted players of his generation, and so the bar is very high.

Oxlade-Chamberlain – who earns £120,000-a-week at Anfield (Spotrac) – is a fine player and he might share traits with Gascoigne, but hyping him up as the potential second coming is probably unwise.