Liverpool Given Boost As injured Midfielder Return To Action After 11 Months

Premier League title contenders Liverpool have been boosted by the return of midfielder Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain from a long injury layoff.

Chamberlain returned to the pitch for the first time since suffering a serious knee injury in the Champions League semifinal tie with Italian Serie A giants AS Roma last season.

He has been out of action for the last 11 months.

Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain made his return for the Liverpool u-23s in their league game at Derby County.

The England international star lasted for 41 minutes before he was substituted for Isaac Christie-Davies.

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He was initially expected to play 45 minutes only for him to be substituted four minutes earlier as a precautionary measure.

The former Arsenal player had felt his hamstring on a number of occasions before the decision was taken to make an early substitution.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has missed all the Liverpool games this season in their quest to back honours in two major competitions namely the Premier League and the Champions League.

His injury return is a welcome development for the Reds who are one point adrift of league leaders Manchester City in the race for the Premier League title.

They also have to face German champions Bayern Munich in the second leg of their last 16 ties in the Champions League with the tie delicately poised as goalless from the first leg.