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Liverpool lastly made their return to Premier League motion following the seasonal pause for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, defeating Aston Villa 3-1 at Villa Park in an enthralling encounter.
Jurgen Klopp‘s Reds blitzed right into a two-goal lead, courtesy of efforts from Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, earlier than the break, earlier than a lapse in focus lifted the pedal off the gasoline and allowed the house facet to surge forwards like a high-tide on a blustery day, with Ollie Watkins scoring a deft header after scoring a narrowly offside strike moments into the second-half.
Regardless of a tumultuous spell that drew into the closing levels, Liverpool’s innovative shone via, and the 18-year-old Stefan Bajcetic burst into the field moments after coming into the sphere to latch onto a Darwin Nunez cutback and squirm into area, unleashing a rolling strike to seal a priceless victory.
Nunez was actually not at his scientific greatest, and regardless of a vigorous efficiency failed to know any of the six direct goalscoring alternatives that he fired on the opposing web, however his affect was nonetheless paramount for his facet’s success, stretching the backline and weaving his manner into openings.
Some will lament his failure so as to add to his 9 strikes this time period, however it was Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who actually did not make use of a helpful alternative to flourish.
As per Sofascore, Oxlade-Chamberlain produced a meagre score of 6.1, deputising down the offensive left flank within the absence of the likes of Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Bobby Firmino – the three almost certainly candidates to occupy the function in a fully-fit Liverpool squad.
Would you prolong Oxlade-Chamberlain’s contract?
Sure
No
Certainly, Oxlade-Chamberlain has solely discovered inclusion from the beginning fold on one event – within the Carabao Cup towards Derby County – and desperately wanted to impress at Villa Park, particularly with Firmino’s damage thought of to be a fleeting concern.
It was to not be, and whereas the 29-year-old exhibited a stage of tenacity and drive that may have happy Klopp, his incapability to make a optimistic influence of any substance doesn’t bode effectively for his future alternatives, together with his contract set for expiry on the finish of the present marketing campaign.
The “woeful” – as lamented by Atul Kasbekar – £120k-per-week ace failed with all 4 of his tried dribbles, whereas solely finishing 11 of his 18 passes and successful considered one of his eight floor duels.
He did supply one key go, enjoying a ball in a swift transition that the aforementioned Nunez did not convert, however one second of high quality doesn’t detract from the failure to succeed throughout the opposite avenues of the pitch.
And his intensive damage file hardly bolsters his claims for a contractual renewal; candidly, he might want to produce a sustained string of dazzling shows if he’s to sway the winds in his favour and proceed to ply his commerce at Liverpool after shifting to Merseyside from Arsenal in a £35m deal in 2017.
The place he does certainly handle to stake his declare stays up within the air, however primarily based on a Boxing Day efficiency that leaves little to be admired, he might want to swing just a few extra punches, with a bit extra conviction, subsequent day trip.
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