Jurgen Klopp lauds Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has showered praise on club captain Jordan Henderson, claiming he is a ‘fantastic character’.

Henderson was dropped to the bench by the German for the Reds’ last outing against Southampton, but came on for a 30-minute cameo.

The England international changed the game at St. Mary’s Stadium, inspiring the team to a crucial 3-1 win having come on at 1-1.

Henderson bagged his first goal for the club since 2017, and celebrated wildly as though to suggest he has been unhappy with recent talk.

He has received some criticism for playing ahead of Fabinho on occasion, but in the eyes of his manager, Henderson is a key figure for the title-chasing Reds.

He said of his captain, as quoted by The Telegraph: “He’s just a fantastic boy. He deserves all the praise but he doesn’t get too much of it,” said Klopp.

“Hendo, from my point of view, is a brilliant player. He’s our skipper, he’s a fantastic character. If I had to write a book about Hendo, it would be 500 pages. So I’m very positive. The most difficult job in the last 500 years of football was to replace Steven Gerrard.”

TBR’s view

Henderson will arguably always have to deal with the Gerrard comparisons.

He won’t come close to achieving the same status as his former teammate, but many Reds fans already know this.

He may not have the same eye-catching style as Fabinho or Naby Keita, but there are undeniable qualities he brings such as control and leadership.

The player has the backing of his manager and that’s probably all that matters to the player. That, and that the team can deliver that elusive first Premier League title.