Peter Crouch hails Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain impact on Liverpool

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Peter Crouch has hailed Alex-Oxlade-Chamberlain following his latest performance and believes he makes a real offensive difference to Liverpool in the midfield.

The 26-year-old came into the starting XI on Wednesday night to help the Reds win 4-1 away at Belgian club Genk in the Champions League group stages.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are looking to defend their European crown this campaign and delivered a clinical performance on the road, particularly in the second-half.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, who cost the club £35million (BBC), scored after just two minutes with his low driven shot from outside the box and that was the only goal of the first-half.

The Merseyside club were far more ruthless in the second period and Oxalde-Chamberlain added a skecuatlr second with a deft touch from outside the box with the outside of his boot that bounced in off the crossbar.

Liverpool’s usual suspects Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah then got on the scoresheet with brilliant goals, but a clean sheet was wrecked by a consolation from Stephen Odey in the closing moments.

Ex-Reds forward Crouch was delighted by the attacking that Oxlade-Chamberlain gave from the centre of the park.

“That’s the difference with the other midfielders that he offers a different option, being in those pockets offering the goal threat,” Crouch told BT Sport 2.

“He’s a popular lad even when he’s injured he wants to be apart of it. That must have been so hard being inured for so long watching Liverpool be so successful. To come back in and get a couple of goals that will lift him massively.”

TBR’s View:

Liverpool fans will be delighted to see Oxlade-Chamberlain back around the first-team and he had a dreadful 2018/19 campaign as an individual by spending most of it injured on the sidelines.

The Englishman has been rained the first-team this campaign and is looking to break into Klopp’s XI.

He seized his chance with a rare start in midweek and showcased the kind of talent everyone knows he posses.

Liverpool’s midfield trio of Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum and Fabinho usually do a great job in dictating play, but they do lack an extra spark going forward.

It doesn’t matter too much considering the world-class frontline, but Oxlade-Chamberlain definitely adds even more of a goal threat when he plays.