Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain reacted controversially to being substituted off during the 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup at the weekend. Former Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor believes the 28-year-old has apparently reached the end of the road at Anfield.
Asked whether Oxlade-Chamberlain will continue at Liverpool next season after seeing his reaction, Agbonlahor told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley:
“I don’t think so, to be honest.”
Jurgen Klopp gave Chamberlain and Naby Keita a rare opportunity to start alongside Fabinho in midfield against Nottingham Forest on Sunday. The Reds didn’t perform well in that department, prompting the manager to substitute the trio before grabbing the winning goal.
Gabriel Agbonlahor claims there’s a massive drop in quality when Jurgen Klopp doesn’t play his first-choice options in the center. That, according to him, will make it difficult for the Reds to stay at the same level as their Premier League title rivals Manchester City.
He explained:
“I feel that I look at Liverpool, I look at Man City and I see how Man City have improved their team. They have got the likes of Gundogan and when he plays he’s world-class but when he’s not playing Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden or Bernardo Silva are playing at a world-class level.”
“When you see Liverpool rotate their team, the likes of Keita don’t always perform. Oxlade-Chamberlain does not look like he is at the level of Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago. In big games, it will be hard for Liverpool if they don’t have their first-choice midfield. Their second-choice midfielders aren’t up to the level Liverpool need to be to stay at the level of Man City,” he added.
The former Aston Villa forward also stated that Jurgen Klopp will be looking forward to improving his options at the center of the pitch. That would mean the end for the backup players who fail to step up when given the opportunity.
He said:
“Jurgen Klopp will be looking at improving that midfield. I don’t think his reaction makes that much difference, although Klopp may be thinking, do that again and you’re getting sold.”
Liverpool going all-out for the Premier League title
The Reds are currently in an intense battle with Manchester City in the race for the Premier League crown this season. As it stands, they occupy the second spot in the table with 69 points from 29 games, just one point behind first-placed Cityzens.
The two clubs will face each other in a massive fixture that could decide the title race on April 10. Before that, however, they’ll take on Watford in the English top flight on April 2. It remains to be seen how they’ll fare in both fixtures.