‘Pain of missing out on the title in 2014 is something I have had to live with’
Jordan Henderson feels this could be the season when Liverpool finish on top for first time since 1990
‘Ifeel we’re ready,” says Jordan Henderson. And he is not just talking about facing Manchester United in the Premier League today, a game that resonates around world football even if Jose Mourinho’s side were remarkably 16 points behind the then leaders after just 16 games.
That Liverpool are in a neck-andneck contest with Manchester City, who went two points clear of Liverpool with victory over Everton yesterday, at the top of the table is almost as remarkable given the potency of Pep Guardiola’s side. Liverpool have kept pace with them, having made their best start to a season, and the sixth-best achieved in top-flight English football, and went ahead last week.
Victory over United would not only move them back to the top, but it would be Liverpool’s first in the league since March 2014 – the season in which they went so close to winning the title when Henderson, crucially, was suspended for three games in the run-in, including the Anfield loss to Chelsea that proved so pivotal.
It has not been forgotten. “That is something I have had to live with,” Henderson says when asked about the hurt of losing out, still the closest Liverpool have been to the title since 1990.
“But we are years on here, a totally different squad of players and totally different scenario. I don’t like to look too far back into the past. All I’m focused on is to keep winning games for this club, as many as we can, to be successful and to [win] trophies.”
Winning trophies – and, yes, winning them now.
“I feel we’re ready. We definitely have the potential to win trophies,” Henderson says. “I have every confidence, with the talent that we’ve got and the people in the dressing room, that we can go and produce trophies in the very near future and hopefully it’s this season.”
It was almost last season, with Henderson leading Liverpool to the Champions League final. They have undoubtedly improved since then and not least with their extraordinary defensive strength – although that is now being tested with injuries to Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and, the latest, Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Virgil van Dijk, to the relief of Liverpool fans, remains and his importance and influence has led to a debate as to whether he should assume the captaincy from Henderson.
The pair are strong, vocal characters as was demonstrated in the midweek Champions League victory against Napoli when both impressed – and were also involved in a fierce finger-jabbing debate in a break in play as Dries Mertens received treatment for the challenge which brought Van Dijk a booking.
“I love stuff like that because it shows you’re a proper team, and it shows you care and want to win. Top teams have that demand from each other,” Henderson explains.
“I was having a go at him and he was probably having a go at me! That’s the relationships we’ve got here. We need people demanding from each other and digging in deep when it’s tough.
“I think we’ve got that and that was just a little instance of that… the more of that the better for me.”
Henderson may be captain, may have signed a new contract in September keeping him at Liverpool until 2023 but he has a fight on his hands for a place in the team.
Three new midfield players arrived – Naby Keita, Fabinho and Xherdan Shaqiri – to provide competition, while Henderson had to recover from the exertions of being such a vital player in England’s brilliant World Cup campaign that took them to the semi-finals. Manager Jurgen Klopp even vetoed Henderson’s plan to return early, wanting him to recover properly from Russia, but it means that while the 28-year-old has made 18 appearances for Liverpool this season, he has made only 10 starts – and completed the 90 minutes just six times.
“You want to make signings, especially the ones we make, because they’re top players,” Henderson says. “It makes the team stronger and gives us a better chance of winning trophies, ultimately, and that’s what everybody wants. I think that’s normal in football, if you look at the top sides in Europe the squads are very good. They’ve got world-class players coming in off the bench and it’s the same here. Everybody’s fighting to play.”
That includes against United. “It’s extra special. Liverpool v United is a big game all over the world,” Henderson says. “They’re a worldclass team with a world-class manager. They’ve got some world-class players and I’m not even sure when we last beat United in the league… Probably
when you look at the table, you are a bit surprised they are not doing as well as they can be. But that doesn’t mean they are less of a threat.”
Scrutiny appears to fall on Henderson more than most at Liverpool, possibly because he also inherited the captaincy from Steven Gerrard. “When I first got the role, it was a big responsibility,” he says. “As time has gone on, it has got a lot easier. When the gaffer came in, he helped me a lot and, to be honest, we have other leaders in the dressing room which makes it a lot easier.”
Obviously, he spoke to Gerrard – who anointed him as his successor – and talks to the now Rangers manager. “I spoke to Stevie before he left in a lot of detail and I still speak to him now and again,” Henderson says.
“I’ve always had good people around me and I still have and I couldn’t ask for a better group of lads in terms of our dressing room.
“It’s an amazing group, who hopefully can produce something special this season.”
‘To be honest, we have other leaders in the dressing room which makes my job a lot easier’