Injury problems have struck once again for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as he makes his way back from the serious knee injury that has ruled him out all season.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain popped a hamstring as he made his return for Liverpool’s under-23s on Friday night against Derby.

Although he was only expected to play 45 minutes, he lasted 41 before his hamstring showed signs of strain. This is a common problem for people returning from long-term injuries, especially knee problems, however questions could be asked over the way his injury has been managed given his history (one hamstring problem at Arsenal kept him out for 12 games/77 days) and reports that he is returning ahead of schedule.

Liverpool’s u23 manager, Neil Critchley, said: “Hopefully it’s nothing major. The bonus for him is that it’s not his knee, so he’s delighted there are no problems with that.”

The former Arsenal midfielder, who suffered 11 different injuries, ruling him out of a total of 154 games for the club before he left for Liverpool for £34.2m 18 months ago, has featured in just 2,048 minutes of action for the Anfield outfit – an average of 113 minutes per month.