Liverpool have played down fears that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain suffered an injury on his first outing for 11 months on Friday.
The England midfielder started the Reds Under-23s’ Premier League 2 clash at Derby County, but was withdrawn four minutes before half-time despite being scheduled to play the whole of the first half.
He was then seen holding his hamstring as he chatted to a physio, but told reporters that he felt fine.
And, as reported by the Liverpool Echo , the club themselves have now confirmed that the midfielder was simply substituted as a “precautionary” measure to ensure that he didn’t run the risk of picking up a knock.
Oxlade-Chamberlain – who hasn’t played a first-team match since going off injured against Roma in the Champions League semi-finals last April – isn’t scheduled to feature for Liverpool’s first-team until at least after the international break, although the Under-23s don’t have another game until after then.
Liverpool won the match at Derby 3-1, with Curtis Jones scoring a brace and Rafa Camacho grabbing the other.