Even though Jordan Henderson was recently pictured returning to the Liverpool training sessions, he had been training alone just ahead of the game with Burnley during the weekend. It was not a surprise that he was unavailable in the 2-1 win over Sean Dyche’s team.
It was a moral boosting victory for the club considering that they fell behind to an early goal from Ashley Barnes. This setback came just a few days after Liverpool had overcome Arsenal in a spectacular 3-1 win. The Reds have had the habit of dropping points against teams lower than the table, while they have been quite impressive in games against the top six. However, they recovered brilliantly after conceding the opener to earn a hard-fought victory through goals from Wijnaldum and Emre Can.
This game once again highlighted the club’s need for a top-class defensive midfielder like Henderson. The former Sunderland midfielder may not be appreciated by a large section of the Liverpool supporters, but he remains a crucial link for the club. The 26-year-old has not played for the club since the 2-0 win over Tottenham, due to a foo injury. It was not a surprise that Liverpool did not look at their best when playing without Henderson in the games against the likes of Leicester City.
Manager Jurgen Klopp in a press conference, confirmed that Henderson will not be available for international duties for the England national team. England will be up against Germany in a friendly followed by a World Cup qualifying game against Lithuania. Both these matches are important for the national team, but Klopp reckons that Liverpool are trying to get Henderson back into the first-team within two weeks. Hence, he is unlikely to feature in those games. Klopp said:
“No chance. The [international] break, these two weeks, hopefully – it’s what we hope – can bring him back, but there’s no game possible in this time.
“That’s how it is. He cannot train, he for sure cannot play against City and it makes sense that he is doing the rehab.
“Hopefully he can run in the second week of the international break and then we have to see.”
There have been recent reports that Liverpool are looking for a deal to sign Monaco midfielder Tiemoué Bakayoko. The highly rated French midfielder could be Liverpool’s answer to any injury suffered by Henderson. At just 22 years of age, he has been a vital cog in helping Monaco to the summit of the Ligue1 standings. The 22-year-old is expected to cost in the region of £52 million, making him a highly expensive proposition in the summer. For the time being, getting Henderson back to full fitness is the priority for the club.
Henderson has featured in 24 league matches and has scored one goal while creating four assists. The 26-year-old has managed a healthy 3.7 tackles per game. And Liverpool’s transfer target, Bakayoko has managed only 3.3 tackles per 90 minutes, so far in this season. It demonstrates the value of Henderson more than anything else.
