WORLD CUP: NO GLASS JOR FOR OUR HEN
JORDAN HENDERSON has admitted he is the ‘worst’ for playing on when he should limp off.
England will be without Dele Alli against Panama after he injured his thigh in the 2-1 victory over Tunisia last Monday.
Alli picked up the knock in the first half and looked certain to come off – Fabian Delph was stripped and ready to come on – but the Spurs man battled on to half-time and was sent back out after the break.
Gareth Southgate denies it was a gamble that backfired but both the England manager and Henderson acknowledged there can be an issue of players disguising injury in a major tournament game.
Jordan would certainly do a Dele.“you know as a player when an injury is bad enough you have to come off,” said Henderson. “But I’m one of the worst, wanting to battle through, but if it’s affecting my performance the manager and staff will be able to see.
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“You have to be careful and know in your own body when it’s serious enough to put your hand up and come off.”
Southgate joked: “Normally Hendo plays through and I get an angry call from Jurgen Klopp saying: ‘Why the hell didn’t you take him off?’”
Henderson (right) is in prime condition despite an arduous season and was one of England’s best performers in the opening win.
Despite missing out on the captaincy, he is clearly one of the team leaders and he was in positive mood ahead of the meeting with Panama.
He said: “We have got a lot of belief in the squad because of the players we have got. They are fantastic players. We are a close group and I think that takes us a long way.
“We’ve got to do it on the pitch and we managed to do it in the first game and are hoping to do it again to get us through to the knockout stages.” Over the course of a tenure that started, initially on a caretaker basis, back in September of 2016, Southgate has grown increasingly impressed with his group of players but Henderson says he is unsurprised by their quality and composure.
He said: “I don’t see them any different because I have trained with them for so long with England and I’ve played with them and played against them in the Premier League a lot.
“So I know how much quality there is in the group and that’s why we have got so much confidence.”
Henderson was one of those annoyed with the officials on Monday when Harry Kane appeared to be wrestled to the turf in the penalty area.
But even though it was not used on Monday, Henderson is a VAR fan.
He said: “It gives the referees a better chance of getting the correct decision. I saw against Brazil it came into good effect when Neymar got the penalty, and then the referee changed his mind. That was a good decision.
“Hopefully it’s fair and both teams get the best of the system.”
Southgate revealed Dan Ashworth, the FA’S technical director, had written to FIFA refereeing chiefs, asking for clarification on certain points regarding VAR.
But Southgate said the England camp is satisfied with the way it is being used.