Jordan Henderson’s display in Liverpool’s dramatic Merseyside derby win showcased everything that has made him such an admirable and important member of the squad this season.
He fuelled his team’s late push for a winning goal with his reliability in midfield allowing those around him to push forward without worry.
Jamie Carragher has used his Daily Mail column to praise the Liverpool skipper for his role in Monday night’s victory. He said: “Sadio Mane grabbed the headlines with his injury-time goal — but Henderson’s performance could not go without notice.”
“He ensured his side retained their discipline in the first half when Everton tried to make it a fight and then went on to always pick the right pass when Liverpool started to play.”
“The game, of course, could have ended disastrously for Henderson, when he was caught by a poor tackle from Ross Barkley — and it was only natural that he was angry during the closing stages about what had happened. He realised the challenge could have broken his leg.”
“But what really impressed me was the way Jordan handled himself after the game, defusing the situation with a brilliant interview. He could easily have got caught up in the emotion and said something rash but he dealt with it calmly.”
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Henderson’s influence with the ball at his feet has come on leaps and bounds since Klopp was appointed as manager and he is becoming a greater leader by the week. It seems that having a significant impact without drawing too much attention to himself is working for him.
He has dominated passing statistics all season long so far and has played with the kind of intelligence that has seen him control things in midfield and provide the foundations to his team’s attacking moves.
Liverpool have a lot to thank their captain for this season. He has been at the heart of everything good that the team has done, even if those around him get the headlines.