Souness: Liverpool miss captain Henderson

Jordan Henderson may not be the most glamorous of players, but Liverpool legend Graeme Souness insists the Reds missed him badly last season.

Henderson, the club captain, sat out the last three months of the campaign with a foot injury – although Jurgen Klopp’s men still managed to secure Champions League football.

But the 27-year-old has become vital to the way Liverpool play, flourishing in a new deeper position in front of the back four and allowing the likes of Adam Lallana and Georginio Wijnaldum to get forward more often.

Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

And Souness, who knows a good midfielder when he sees one, believes Liverpool will receive a huge boost when he is back next season.

“In the playing sense, they’ve missed him greatly,” he said.

“You’re not always bossing the game – doesn’t matter what team you are, you’re not always in charge of the game – and he’s really good at making [his opponent] go into areas and make passes they don’t want to.

“As well as that, I think he’s improved with his own technique. He can open the play up both short and long now, and he’s a major influence.

“Arguably, he might have been the first on the teamsheet when he was firing on all cylinders.”