Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has been warned that his place in our starting lineup could be up for grabs.
What’s been said?
The 30-year-old Premier League-winning captain sat out of last night’s 3-1 victory against Arsenal, which maintained our 100% start in the new season and extended our unbeaten home record in the league to 61 games.
Henderson has had an outstanding past two seasons, capturing the two biggest prizes in club football and embedding himself in the club’s history for eternity in the process.
Nevertheless, this doesn’t grant him a lifetime pass into the first team, as pundit Tony Cascarino argues due to the arrival of Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich and our impressive showing last night.
Speaking to The Times (28/09; The Game supplement; page 5), Cascarino said that any previous personal accolades that the England international has won, will not be taken into account if he doesn’t perform on the pitch.
Will Henderson be a regular starter come the New Year?
Yes
No
“Jordan Henderson might be the first man to be named Football of the Year and within weeks no longer be a first-choice starter for his club”, he said.
“Henderson is still a massive figure for Jurgen Klopp and will remain a big influence but Liverpool’s first-choice midfield this season could be Fabinho, who is so crucial to them, Thiago Alcantara and Gini Wijnaldum.
“Of course, Henderson will get games but he needs to take his game up a level to be a guaranteed starter.”
High standards
Cascarino raises a good point. Henderson cannot expect to walk straight back into the first-team once he returns from injury and has to be prepared to fight for it.
That is a hypothetical scenario of course, and I’m sure he will have the right attitude about him, considering not long ago, he was described as a “marmite footballer“.
It will be a challenge for the Englishman to maintain the same level of standards that are now expected from him, but he has the ability to do so.
I would personally be shocked if the £25.2m-rated talisman lost his place in the team, but football is a funny old game.