Jordan Henderson has picked up plaudits throughout the season but if there’s one man who really knows how to excel in Liverpool’s midfield it is Xabi Alonso.
He was full of praise for the Reds captain a number of months ago before the midfielder’s career took off even further this term.
What did he say?
The Spaniard had a successful spell at Anfield, winning the Champions League and the FA Cup in successive years, while also helping Liverpool fight for the title in 2008/09.
Henderson could go one further this term by adding a Premier League medal to his Champions League title that he won last campaign, and despite getting closer to 30 the England international has arguably never been better.
Teammate Andy Robertson has suggested Henderson should win the PFA Player of the Year award, ahead of teammate Virgil van Dijk and other brilliant players like Kevin de Bruyne.
Perhaps one of the reasons for that is how the former Sunderland man has grown into a leader off the pitch. Thus, Alonso pointing to that factor when analysing his game last year appears to be truer than ever.
Speaking to the BBC in quotes relayed by the Liverpool Echo, Alonso said in June 2019.
“Jordan Henderson has become a figure in the changing room. I think he’s so respected, so important for his team-mates – that’s the sense I get from watching in the stands. For the way they play it’s very important, the energy he has.
“He’s able to take that step forwards, not backwards to make that pressure a bit higher. The way he connects with the three players up front, they play very direct and the way Liverpool is playing is the Jurgen way – the way they played at Dortmund with him and the way they play at Liverpool now.”
Truer than ever
When Henderson arrived at Liverpool in 2010 there was always a sense that he was planned to be the long-term successor to Steven Gerrard, and though it may have taken several years he does now seem as important and talismanic for the Reds as Gerrard once was.
His recent injury coinciding with Liverpool’s dip in form was no coincidence. Normally when falling behind to a side like Watford Jurgen Klopp’s side would be able to overturn the deficit – they have done all season – but without Henderson’s influence, the team capitulated to a 3-0 defeat.
The Reds also lost to Chelsea and Atletico Madrid in the first leg without the 29-year-old, who has proved effective in different roles for his side this season.
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That makes him a little different to Alonso and Gerrard, who specialised in particular areas. Instead, Henderson has offered an attacking threat with eight goal contributions in 22 league starts but also defensive effectiveness with an average of 2.2 tackles and one interception per game, according to WhoScored.
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Added to that, lifting spirits around the squad and ensuring the team has maintained its consistency throughout the year has been invaluable and is the reason why the Merseyside outfit have continued to pick up points even when the likes of Sadio Mane and Mo Salah aren’t firing.
In transfer-related news, Liverpool fans have been reacting to interest in a midfielder…