Liverpool's Jordan Henderson making strong case for captaincy

Liverpool's in-form midfielder Jordan Henderson is showing the credentials to take over Steven Gerrard’s leading role at Anfield...

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“He is becoming the complete midfielder.”

That was how Sky Sports pundit Phil Thompson described Jordan Henderson after the Liverpool midfielder fired in a long-range rocket and played a key role in his side’s impressive 2-1 victory over Manchester City.

Wearing the captain’s armband in the absence of the injured Steven Gerrard, Henderson won praise for his leadership qualities, too, and there is a growing feeling that this campaign has seen the 24-year-old come of age.

Henderson followed that wonder strike with another piledriver to open the scoring against Burnley – his fourth of the season – and with seven assists (the seventh most in the Premier League) the England international is making his mark at the heart of the Reds' midfield.

He needed to add goals and assists to his game and that's what he's done this season,” Jamie Carragher said when asked about his former team-mate.

“He's renowned for energy, his athleticism and being a great pro but now, with 11 assists and five goals (in all competitions), he's bringing more quality to his game.”

His manager, Brendan Rodgers, is understandably delighted with Henderson’s development this term.

“He assists goals, he scores goals, and for me he is just improving every single day,” the Liverpool boss said recently.

“His tactical understanding of systems is developing and he will go on over the next few years.”

However, Rodgers stopped short of confirming Henderson will take possession of the captain’s armband on a permanent basis when Gerrard departs for LA Galaxy this summer, while the player said himself this week that, despite being current vice-captain, he is not certain to lead the team next season.

Regardless of the pair’s coyness in the media about Gerrard’s successor, it’s apparent that in Henderson, Liverpool have a natural heir to their talismanic skipper. Henderson has already won the respect of his team-mates.

“Jordan is a massive player for us,” said ‘keeper Simon Mignolet. “He is a very positive character who always works hard and leads by example. He's vocal both on the pitch and in the dressing room. He goes in front of us and everyone follows behind.”

Gerrard's return

More imminently, though, it is reasonable to question whether fit-again Gerrard, who has been sidelined since early February with a hamstring injury, will be able to return to the Liverpool starting XI, given the form the team have been in during his absence.

In the seven games Gerrard’s missed, Rodgers’ side have won five, with Henderson and Joe Allen striking up an effective partnership in the centre of the field.

“The team is playing so well that I don’t think Brendan Rodgers can afford to change a winning formula,” Thompson told skysports.com.

No matter how good Stevie is – and I still think he has a lot to offer – you can’t change what’s working. But I think he’d understand that, even if he has to spend a couple of games on the bench to see how it goes.

“The performances of the team in the last few weeks have been absolutely first class, and Jordan has played very well alongside Allen. Allen has been absolutely terrific in the side and I think it’ll have to be them two together for a couple of games after Stevie comes back.

“Maybe it’ll take an injury or the team having a poor display for Stevie to get back into the team.”

So it seems that for the Monday Night Football trip to Swansea, Henderson will be wearing the armband once again - and aiming to lead the team to a fifth-straight win in the league.

The former Sunderland man scored two against the same opponents last season. Another match-winning display would bolster his growing reputation as Liverpool’s all-star all-rounder - and status as successor to club legend Steven Gerrard.