Liverpool's management team are convinced there will be a fairytale end to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s “sad story”.
And assistant boss Pep Lijnders is also 100 per cent sure Naby Keita will join his unfortunate teammate in forcing their way into manager Jurgen Klopp’s thoughts, to grab an automatic first team place.
Both players have been struck down with injury over the past year, and with Liverpool on a breathtaking run of form, they have simply not had a real chance to show they are back to the highest level.
They will though, both start against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup.
"Ox of course is a very sad story, with the injury I mean,” Lijnders explained of the England midfielder, who missed a whole year with ruptured knee ligaments.
“But everyone knows he was very important for us just before the injury - he is really important for us because he gives a completely different dynamic to create.
“So we want to give him time and we know it will come if he keeps his aggression offensively and defensively. We saw already glimpses, we saw already really good phases and he said it himself already he wants to do it now (consistently) - that will be the next step."
Keita too, has struggled for consistency, thanks to a stop-start Liverpool career blighted by injury. He has finally recovered though, from a problem which sidelined him for the best part of six months.
The assistant boss though, explained that the midfielder has that x-factor top sides need.
“We can all see what a magnificent player he is and what he can do to our team, especially how to bring the ball into the final third, how to disorganise opposition," he said.
“Naby was unlucky with his injury this season. First year with a new club, with a new style at Liverpool we all know that takes time.
"But both of them are so important.”
