League, a half-volleyed thumper at home to Norwich City, a
tenacious solo effort at Arsenal, and a brace in an emphatic 6-0
win at Newcastle United. He was also named England’s Under-21
player of the year.
Season 2013/14 brought Henderson’s 100th appearance for
LFC, appropriately away to Sunderland, in September. Only a late
dismissal at home to Manchester City denied him an ever-present
personal record in a campaign which so nearly landed the Premier
League title.
After appearing twice for England in the World Cup finals in
Brazil, he was appointed Liverpool vice-captain in September 2014
and deputised for Steven Gerrard on 19 occasions during a season
in which he missed just one Premier League match. Who can
forget his goal against City at Anfield, another screamer from the
edge of the box?
But it was tough, that post-Suarez, 2014/15 campaign, with FA
Cup semi-final disappointment against Aston Villa, an excruciating
end-of-season defeat at Stoke City and an unremarkable sixth-
place finish.With Gerrard now departed, Henderson, just turned 25, was
appointed as the team’s new skipper by Rodgers in July 2015.
In his first captain’s column in the programme, for the visit of
Bournemouth on Monday 17 August, he called it “a tremendous
honour for me and my family – leading the team out here at
Anfield tonight is something I’ll cherish forever.”
He spoke frankly about the responsibility: “I’ve worked alongside
some great men and captains during my career so far, with Stevie
obviously being the most recent. I observed how all of those guys
conducted themselves and tried to learn from each of them and
the way they approached the role.
“But there is no point in me trying to copy anyone else. I have
to be my own man and do things my way. Just as all players are
different, so are all captains...
“My attitude since I was a boy has always been about learning
more and developing further and that’s something I’ll continueIN HIS FIRST
SEASON HE
PLAYED IN MORE
GAMES THAN ANY
OTHER LIVERPOOL
PLAYER, EVERY
FAN COULD SEE HE
GAVE EVERYTHING