Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp talks up Jordan Henderson importance

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 01 September 2018

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists that Jordan Henderson remains a key part of his plans, despite leaving the captain out of his first three starting lineups.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has insisted that Jordan Henderson remains a key part of his plans, despite the skipper being left out of the starting lineup for all three Premier League games so far this season.

Naby Keita, Georginio Wijnaldum and James Milner have been preferred in the midfield three as Klopp has named an unchanged side in all of his matches so far this term, with Liverpool making a perfect start to the campaign.

Henderson has so far had to make do with substitute appearances following his late return to the squad due to World Cup duty, but Klopp hinted that he could be in line for his first start of the campaign away to Tottenham Hotspur after the international break.

"Of course it is difficult for him as captain, but Hendo is such an important player to us and he knows that. We had talks about that," Klopp told reporters at his pre-match press conference.

"Especially with his style of play and how he puts everything on the pitch, you need to be in a really good shape physically. And he had these moments during the weeks, not this week, but the weeks before when you saw it is quite intense.

"You have to do that (the intense training) when you can. We could do it. Hendo was the last one to come back, okay Dejan [Lovren] was but he's not been fit. Now Hendo has had four weeks. It will be six weeks by the time we play Tottenham. He's not in doubt and I am not in doubt about his role so he has dealt with it (not starting) well."

Klopp could name an unchanged team for the fourth match in a row during this afternoon's Premier League clash with Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.