Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has revealed he and his teammates have their sights set on another quadruple challenge as they look to go one better than their efforts from the 2021/22 season.
Jurgen Klopp's side put together an unprecedented quadruple chase that stretched 62 games from August to the penultimate week of the season as they were pipped to the Premier League title by Manchester City, before game number 63 of the season saw them lose to Real Madrid in the Champions League final in Pairs.
However, the Reds still had something to show for their efforts as they completed a domestic cup double by winning both the League Cup and the FA Cup after defeating Chelsea on penalties twice.
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And with the squad having already started their preparation for the new season this week at the AXA Training Centre, Oxlade-Chamberlian revealed he and the rest of his Liverpool teammates will be looking to better their historic efforts of the last campaign.
"I think as a team we all know what the target is: to win everything. I think last year that was almost a real possibility for us," the midfielder told Liverpoolfc.com
"We obviously had a really good season, came away with two trophies, but yeah, I think the expectation from within is that we are capable of competing in every single competition and all at the same time if needs be because the squad is big now. I’m sure that’s our aim and it’s high standards to live up to but that is the culture around here now, so that’ll be it for an individual and a team basis."
Liverpool's chances of completing a maiden sweep of the four major trophies on offer will be assisted by the additions of Darwin Nunez, Calvin Ramsay and Fabio Carvalho who all secured moves to Anfield during a busy summer for newly-appointed sporting director Julian Ward.
Nunez, who was signed from Benfica, could end up costing a club-record £85m if the performance-related add-ons are met during his time on Merseyside, and Oxlade-Chamberlain is more than aware of his talents after watching the forward's performances against his teammates during April's Champions League quarter-final between the two clubs.
"I think obviously Darwin, we played against and saw him first hand and I think everything that we saw in those games… he reminded me a little bit of Luis [Diaz] when we played against him when he was at Porto," said Liverpool's No.15.
"He’s that sort of a player that you know what you are going to get from – the athleticism, the speed, the strength, the power – and it was the same with him. I remember having to chase Luis back at Anfield at one point and he made me stick it into fifth gear and then try to find sixth to keep up with him! You sort of remember those things and when he walked through the door that was the first thing I remembered – don’t try to get in a race with him if I’m expecting to win!
"I think Darwin would be the same. I think Virgil said first hand and Ibou said as well how quick and strong he was. I think he had that confidence and swagger about him as well and I think as a striker, as a forward player, you sort of need to have that confidence to go and do good things and lead the team from up there."
He added: "Fab [Carvalho], he’s obviously a young player, very technically gifted. I saw a few little bits from him at Fulham last year and from guys I know there, they all speak very highly of him. So I’m sure we’re going to see him learn from a lot of the boys around here as well and settle in. Just any new faces like that, it breeds the competition for places and a bit of excitement, something new and fresh, and that makes everyone stick it into the next gear to sort of impress and make sure the standards stay high. So it’s a good thing, always."
While Carvalho and Ramsay after already started pre-season with the Reds at their Kirkby training base this week, Nunez will join up with his new teammates towards the end of the week after receiving an extended break for his international commitments during the summer.
Liverpool will fly to Thailand over the weekend where they will commence their first pre-season tour since 2019 with games against fellow Premier League sides Manchester United and Crystal Palace.
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