Shay Given Backs Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Improve After Difficult Start to Life at Liverpool

Former Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given has said that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain must be feeling a bit of deja vu at Liverpool.

The English attacker left Arsenal for Anfield during the summer, partly due to being played out on the wing by Arsene Wenger. He also rejected a move to Chelsea for that very reason, joining the Reds as he believed that he would be deployed in a central attacking position.

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He has yet to be handed the role, however, and has gotten off to quite the subdued start under Jurgen Klopp.

Having made his first start for the club in the 2-0 Carabao Cup against Leicester City on Tuesday, Oxlade-Chamberlain came under heavy criticism from pundits over his performance.

And Given, now a pundit himself, reckons that the player will be feeling like it's happening all over again at a different club.

“It’s interesting to see, obviously that was his full debut, but he played on the right-hand side,” the former stopper said on Sky Sports (via Express). “So much was made that he left Arsenal because he wanted to play in the centre.

“He got supposedly reassurances from (Jurgen) Klopp that he would play in the centre and he’s played out wide again. 

“He must be thinking ‘this is deja vu a little bit, I’m back out on the right wing’ where he says he’s not happy. He’ll play better, probably Emile’s comments are a bit harsh that he didn’t remember much of him in the game.

“He’s just finding his feet at a big club, a new club as well. But it’s interesting to see because he didn’t play in the centre and he played on the right-wing again.”