The Times have reported that Jordan Henderson’s hamstring injury is more serious than first thought, and the Liverpool skipper could be set to miss up to “five games”. The injury to their captain prompted the Anfield hierarchy to sign Arthur Melo on a season-long loan from Juventus. Losing the England international to injury will come as a blow to Jurgen Klopp, with Rio Ferdinand once describing the midfielder as “vital” for club and country.
Jordan Henderson ‘Could Miss Five Games’ in What Is a Tricky Run of Fixtures for Liverpool
What Fixtures Could Henderson Miss?
First up is the Merseyside derby against their bitter rivals Everton. That is followed by their opening Champions League match against Napoli before they welcome Wolverhampton Wanderers to Anfield in the Premier League. Their final two fixtures in this period are Ajax in Europe and then an away trip to league rivals Chelsea, where the captain’s influence will surely be missed.
Read More: LWOF Premier League Predictions
Without the leadership of Henderson, the intimidating atmosphere at Napoli may affect the club’s younger players. This could lead to a potential slip-up in their Champions League curtain raiser.
However, the good news is that Liverpool have plenty of other senior players capable of performing that leadership role. Jurgen Klopp’s men are the ‘mentality monsters‘ after all. Individuals such as James Milner, Andrew Robertson and Virgil Van Dijk all have more than enough experience to help guide those younger players.
The Arrival of Arthur Melo
Some good news for Liverpool fans is the arrival of Melo from Juventus on a season-long loan. The talented 26-year-old midfielder provides some much-needed depth in the midfield area and should make Henderson’s injury a little easier to cope with.
He is not the same kind of player and doesn’t possess the same kind of leadership qualities as the Liverpool captain, but he will bring depth to the Anfield squad. Having a player of his quality will undoubtedly help the club cope with the current injuries to Henderson and Thiago Alcantara.
Touch of class Jordan Henderson 👏👏👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/RiK0m2uqfj
— Dublin Red 🔴🇮🇪 (@dublinredYNWA) August 27, 2022
Despite the current injuries, Liverpool can still name a midfield of Melo, Fabinho and Harvey Elliot. That may not be as robust as Klopp would like, but it is still a good midfield trio.
Jordan Henderson’s injury is certainly a blow, but it seems Liverpool may have the tools needed to deal with it.
