After explaining earlier in the week that club captain Jordan Henderson is good to play through the pain barrier for Liverpool, the 25-year old was withdrawn as a precaution midway through the second half with what looked to be a foot problem as the Reds downed Sunderland at the Stadium of Light yesterday.
“I don’t really know – it’s not perfect otherwise we wouldn’t have taken him off, but we had to. Now we have to wait. I cannot say exactly [what the injury is] at this moment,” said boss Jurgen Klopp in his post-match press call. “All the players are important but with Emre [Can] and Hendo together, it’s a good couple usually. I cannot say too much about the problems he had now, I hope it’s not too serious,” explained the German manager. “Both are good technicians, fast, disciplined, mentality players and all these things. You really need players like this.”
Henderson, closing in on his 200th appearance for the Anfield outfit, has only just returned to action after being sidelined with a heel problem in the closing days of August. Visiting a specialist in the United States, he was cleared to resume training before breaking a bone in his foot in early September which kept him on the treatment table until late November. Since little is known at this time, this recent knock could nothing to worry about, but Klopp has suggested that he’s being closely monitored and will be withdrawn from the starting eleven if he needs some time to recuperate.
“We always talk and always speak to Hendo and it’s up to him. Together we will decide. I know he is a player where pain up to seven – no problem. But we have to work together with Andy (Massey, doctor) and Chris (Morgan, physio),” he told the Liverpool ECHO in the build-up to the meeting with the Black Cats. “We try to give him time but he’s also a player who needs rhythm. While everything is okay we say ‘yes it’s okay’ and I think we should give him time to play,” continued Klopp, before adding, “How much we shall see but we are very interested in having him in the team but it’s not a problem to change some positions for some games.”
