HENDO’S THE KOP HITMAN Jordan leads from the front

JORDAN HENDERSON continued his audition to be Liverpool captain last night.

The stand-in skipper fired home a cracker to put the Reds ahead against Premier League strugglers Burnley.

Liverpool had the magic of Philippe Coutinho to thank again as the Brazilian wing wizard was the creator.

Henderson provided the assist for Daniel Sturridge to score the home side’s second shortly after the break.

The Red went into the game on an 11-game unbeaten run as they continue to chase down the Premier League’s top four.

They were on the front foot from the off as Sturridge worked Clarets keeper Tom Heaton after 24 seconds.

being outplayed and overpowered in midfield by Henderson and Joe Allen.

Sturridge almost pounced on a Jason Shackell header back to his keeper, but he could not reach it to control.

The opening goal came after 29 minutes and it was Henderson, wearing the captain’s armband in Steven Gerrard’s absence through injury, who scored another stunner.

Coutinho turned away from Scott Arfield before racing towards the area and unleashing a shot.

Shackell got a block in but Henderson was on hand to lash in on the half-volley.

Henderson is not guaranteed to be Liverpool captain next season when Gerrard leaves for LA Galaxy.

But he is doing his best to ensure he gets to keep the armband on a permanent basis as he added to Sunday’s strike against Manchester City.

Sturridge should have extended the lead soon after Henderson’s breakthrough when he was put through one-on-one by the creative Coutinho, but Heaton saved.

Burnley were struggling to get out of their own half, but they had a great chance to equalise on the stroke of half-time.

Ashley Barnes rose unmarked in the area but Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet saved when he should have been given more work to do.

Sturridge made up for his earlier miss after the restart when he doubled his side’s lead.

Henderson turned creator to swing in a lovely ball and Sturridge lost his marker to divert it into the corner as Liverpool closed in on the Champions League places. LIVERPOOL (3-4-3): Mignolet; Can, Skrtel, Lovren; Lallana, Henderson, Allen, Moreno; Sterling, Sturridge, Coutinho. Subs: Ward, Johnson, Toure, Lambert, Balotelli, Williams, Markovic. BURNLEY (4-4-2): Heaton; Trippier, Shackell, Keane, Mee; Boyd, Arfield, Jones, Kightly; Barnes, Ings. Subs: Gilks, Duff, Vokes, Wallace, Reid, Jutkiewicz, Ward. Referee: Lee Mason.