Klopp hopes Henderson will play again this season
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp remains hopeful Jordan Henderson will play again this season.
The former Sunderland midfielder has been ruled out for at least a month after surgery on a groin problem, which will mean he misses a minimum of five matches plus England’s World Cup qualifiers against San Marino, Albania and Poland in late March.
It also reduces further Klopp’s options at centreback as his captain had been covering that position in the absence of Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Fabinho – himself a stand-in.
Klopp also does not yet know whether goalkeeper Alisson Becker will play in Sunday’s match at Sheffield United after the death of his father in a swimming accident in Brazil earlier this week.
“The best-case scenario, I don’t know to be honest,” he said of Henderson.
“It’s not a quick one but of course we all hope there is still a possibility for him to play a few games this season, but we will see.”
Henderson will not return to the club’s AXA training complex for a while but when he does Klopp expects him to continue to be an influence in the way his other injured senior players have been.
“They all have to be influential. So many injured players not available at the moment and most of them are leaders in this group,” he added.
“Hendo is not here yet but Virgil, Milly (James Milner), Joel all have to be influential and that is what they will be and when Hendo is back he has to play this role while doing his rehab.”