‘Ox’ set for his Liverpool bow

– Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (above) is itching to start work with Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp and could make his debut in today’s Premier League clash with Manchester City.

The England midfielder, 24, rejected a new deal with Arsenal and an approach from champions Chelsea to join Liverpool in a £35 million move last week.

He said playing for Klopp had been a key motivating factor and he could scarcely have asked for a more high-octane start than a showdown with Pep Guardiola’s big-spending City.

Sealing a move for Oxlade-Chamberlain was one of two key pieces of deadline-day business for Liverpool, the other of which was retaining the services of Philippe Coutinho.

Coutinho submitted a transfer request on the eve of the season in the hope of joining Barcelona, but Liverpool rebuffed three big-money bids from the Catalan giants.

A 4-0 thrashing of Arsenal on their last outing left them second behind Manchester United and they beat Hoffenheim 6-3 over two legs to secure a Champions League group-phase berth.

City are level on points in fourth, but are yet to hit top gear.

They could only draw 1-1 with Everton in their first home game and needed a scruffy 97th-minute goal from Raheem Sterling to snatch a 2-1 victory at Bournemouth.

Sterling’s subsequent dismissal, after he was shown a second yellow card for running into the crowd in celebration, means he will miss the reunion with his former club.

But rightback Kyle Walker returns after completing a onematch suspension for his red card on his home debut against Everton. – AFP