Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk hailed Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after he netted twice in his first Champions League appearance for 18 months.

The former Arsenal man's double strike included a spectacular outside-of-the foot finish and helped his side to win 4-1 at Genk.

Van Dijk told the Press Association: “He's worked so hard to get back to this point and he deserves a night like that.

“He's such a great guy, such an important guy for the group. He's a quality player and he showed it, not only with his goals, but also with his all-round game.

“During a difficult period, he always managed to stay positive. We were all there for him.

“Pre-season was tough for him but he's showing a lot of great things right now. He's so sharp. His goals made the difference.

“The first one was so important and the second was a killer for them. It's just great to see him back out there."