Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has singled out Liverpool teammate Jordan Henderson as a player he admires.
The Reds’ midfielder was in awe of his captain, claiming the 29-year-old has delivered a different sense of energy for Jurgen Klopp’s side after being pushed further forward at the beginning of this season.
Henderson has started three of the four Premier League games so far, captaining the Reds to a perfect start this campaign, and has found himself sitting in front of the more defensive Fabinho.
Speaking to the Times, when asked about which players he admires, Oxlade-Chamberlain picked out Henderson alongside players such as Steven Gerrard and Kevin De Bruyne.
“Hendo [Jordan Henderson] has stepped forward into a more advanced role [at Liverpool] and he’s doing it really well,” he said.
“It has brought a sense of life out of him, a sort of energetic pulse.”
“Steven Gerrard would have been my ideal midfield general, growing up. It’s a bit more specific now but Kevin De Bruyne does it really, really well.”
OPINION
Oxlade-Chamberlain is spot on to single out the £140,000-a-week midfield general [Spotrac] who has gone from strength-to-strength under Klopp in recent campaigns. Henderson likes to float around the pitch at times throughout games, which makes him available for the ball at any given time, no matter who has possession for his team. The England international is a pivotal part of Klopp’s plans at Anfield, having averaged 35.5 passes per game so far [WhoScored]. On top of that, his defensive game has not suffered despite a more advanced role, with Henderson still averaging two tackles each outing [WhoScored] – a stat that proves no matter where he plays, Henderson will provide solid cover to his defence. Taking over the captaincy from a player such as Gerrard was always going to be such a hard task for anyone to do, but Henderson has received praise from the Reds’ legend himself, who called the 29-year-old the “ultimate professional” when speaking to the Times – which only proves he was, and still is, the right candidate for the job.
