OPINION
With a Champions League title to their name, it would be difficult to argue that any of last season’s Liverpool squad should feel under threat in the first team.
The whole side contributed to their success both on the continent and on the domestic stage, the Reds pushing Manchester City all the way in their fierce title battle.
From unlikely heroes like Divock Origi to the Anfield superstars of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, Jurgen Klopp made the most of every single one of his players where possible.
Two men who were rarely seen by the Merseyside faithful were Adam Lallana and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the England pair seeing their respective campaigns curtailed by injury problems.
Lallana managed to make just five starts and a further eight substitute appearances in the Premier League while his teammate featured just twice, both of which came from the bench.
With the likes of Georginio Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Naby Keita and James Milner to call upon in the middle of the park, the pair, dare it be said, were not missed all that much.
However, Sky Sports report that the pair are both set to be fit and firing for the opening weekend of Premier League fixtures and with too many pegs for the amount of holes available in his line up, Klopp is going to have a serious headache to contend with.
The silver lining for the returning pair is that they can both play as wingers – some might even argue that is where the duo are best suited – and with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane both having been at the African Cup of Nations this summer, they could be handed the chance to stake a claim in pre-season.
Squad depth might not have been too much of a problem for Klopp last season but he has more options to consider going into the new campaign – a dilemma he will surely welcome.
Could Lallana or the Ox force their way into the starting XI? Only time will tell, but the pair have got some making up to do after a frustrating 2018/19 season.
