Stan Collymore has explained why Jordan Henderson is more than capable to fill in for Fabinho in tomorrow’s FA Cup final clash with Chelsea.
The Brazilian suffered a minor hamstring strain against Aston Villa on Tuesday night and Jurgen Klopp has confirmed the midfielder will not be fit for the clash with Thomas Tuchel’s side.
Henderson is expected to be deployed in the defensive midfield role tomorrow and the Collymore believes the No. 14’s experience will be vital.
“Hendo can be trusted to fit in, he’s the captain,” the ex-Red told Empire of The Kop.
“He’s emboldened by several years of winning big trophies, you only have to see in his eyes and in his spirit and in his soul, that he still believes he’s got plenty to offer Liverpool Football Club and he has.
“I think that Liverpool need to strengthen that area, but if you’re looking over two or three games at the end of the season, you’re looking for experience, you’re looking for mobility, you’re looking for calm and reassurance on the ball, I think that if you asked any football fan, ‘would you put Jordan Henderson in your team in that scenario?’, the answer overwhelmingly would be ‘yes’.
“I still think he’s got plenty of unfinished business to do and achieve at Liverpool Football Club and I think you’ll see that as and when he comes into the team, undoubtedly in the FA Cup final at the weekend.”
Our captain is certainly good enough to be playing for the club, but attempting to break up play and dispossess the opposition as reguarly as Fabinho does is no easy task.
The other midfielders that you’d expect to start alongside Hendo in the middle of the park will be Thiago Alcantara and Naby Keita.
The pair will have to be more disciplined than ever and help the former Sunderland man out.
The tie could be won or lost in the midfield so we’ll have to be right at it to ensure we defeat Chelsea at Wembley for the second time this season.
Our attacking firepower is up there with the best in world football and hopefully the lads can work their magic to ensure Klopp gets his hands on the FA Cup for the first time.
Fabinho will certainly be a big miss, but we have enough faith in the lads to perform well enough to earn the win in the former AS Monaco man’s absence.