Jan Molby believes Adam Lallana and Xherdan Shaqiri have a “wonderful opportunity” for playing time in the Liverpool side due to the injury crisis Jurgen Klopp has, reports the Daily Star.
Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita all returned from the international break with injury problems, and only van Dijk and Salah featured against Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
Shaqiri started in midfield alongside Jordan Henderson and James Milner, while Adam Lallana was in a more advanced role with Salah and Daniel Sturridge.
Roberto Firmino was on the bench against Huddersfield and will be breathing down Lallana’s neck for a starting place in the coming weeks. Keita will also want Shaqiri’s spot in the midfield when he returns to full fitness, but Molby believes Shaqiri and Lallana should take the chance they have with both hands.
He said: “The next few weeks should represent a wonderful opportunity for Xherdan Shaqiri and Adam Lallana at Liverpool. They’ll have been waiting for a chance to show Jurgen Klopp they can step up, and the Reds’ injury list means this is the time to prove they can do it.”
Shaqiri joined Liverpool from Stoke City earlier in the summer and has gone on to make seven appearances across the board, making two assists. The 27-year-old knew he’d struggle for playing time given the stiff competition for a starting place, but he could give Klopp a selection headache with his performances.
As for Lallana, the 30-year-old has made 142 appearances since his 2014 move from Southampton to Liverpool, scoring and creating 41 goals. He’s a talented midfielder who has struggled for games due to injury problems. If Lallana can get a run of games in the side, he will also give his manager plenty to consider.
Stats from Transfermarkt.
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