I’m still talking to Stevie... he’s made me a better captain
Says Jordan Henderson
JORDAN HENDERSON is perched on the edge of a table in a small interview room close to the spot where a departing Steven Gerrard once championed his friend’s claims to be Liverpool’s next captain.
Partly due to Gerrard’s public intervention, Henderson was chosen to follow the legend and four years later continues to wear the iconic armband with increasing authority and success.
‘It was a big responsibility when I first got the role but I always looked forward to it. Otherwise I wouldn’t have done it,’ reflects Henderson. ‘I spoke to Stevie in a lot of detail before he left and still speak to him now and again. As time has gone on, it has got a lot easier. I’ve learned a lot.’
The club have plenty of leaders on the pitch from Virgil van Dijk to James Milner but it is Henderson who leads them out and, from Alisson’s saves to Mo Salah’s goals, Liverpool look equipped to give him the opportunity to lift the Premier League trophy in May — something that eluded even the great Gerrard.
Henderson’s professionalism means he instinctively fights against getting too high or low. But with Liverpool unbeaten this season he says: ‘I feel we’re ready. We definitely have the potential to win trophies.
‘I have every confidence, with the people and talent we’ve got in the dressing- room, that we can produce trophies in the very near future.’
Whether by accident or design, Jurgen K lopp ’s Liverpool squad looks balanced in so many ways: between defence and attack; British and overseas; young and old.
Henderson, Daniel Sturridge and Simon Mignolet are the only survivors from the 2013-14 team that came so close to winning the title under Brendan Rodgers. Any attempt to compare that ‘Suarez team’ with this ‘ Salah team’ are quickly rebuffed by Henderson. ‘ Pointless,’ he says. Most pundits who have indulged in naming their best Liverpool-United XIs from the current squads have room for only a couple of players from Old Trafford, highlighting the perceived gulf in class. ‘As players, you can’t look at things like that. It’s just nonsense,’ he says. ‘For us, it’s about focusing on what’s important and that’s perform- ances. United have some worldclass players with a world-class manager.As much as people talk about the problems they’ve had this season, they can beat anybody on their day. You saw that against Manchester City last season. You thought United were dead and buried at 2-0 down but they came back to win. They’re dangerous and we will have to be on our top level.’
United’s greatest manager Sir Alex Ferguson once caused controversy by claiming he turned down the chance to sign Henderson from Sunderland because of his running gait. Perhaps he would have had kinder words from Mourinho, who loves the kind of intensity and determination that Henderson brings.
United shut up shop at Anfield last season to get a goalless draw but the Liverpool skipper says his team will not fall into the trap of thinking they can play only one way.
‘ Yo u have to prepare for everything,’ he says. ‘United are capable of setting up a low block and making it difficult but they’re also capable of coming out and pressing high. This is a big game all over the world. Everyone will be tuning in. I’ve played with Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard for England and they are top players. It’s a surprise United aren’t higher in the table but that doesn’t mean they are less of a threat.’
Despite all the modern science at Liverpool’s disposal, he does not mind a bit of old-school shouting to maintain concentration levels. He and Van Dijk had a verbal dingdong on Tuesday when they beat Napoli to qualify for the Champions League last 16.
‘I love stuff like that because it shows you’re a proper team. It shows you care,’ he says. ‘Everything on the pitch is to help the team. We need people digging in deep when it’s tough.’
Stevie G could not have put it better himself.