‘No disrespect’: Ben Foster suggests Liverpool players are missing £20m ace

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After their shock defeat from the weekend, Liverpool will now be in FA Cup action tonight.

Ben Foster has praised the qualities of Jordan Henderson and claimed that the Liverpool Liverpool players were missing his ‘drive’ in the middle of the park following their shock defeat to Watford on Saturday. 

The Hornets goalkeeper stated that ‘no disrespect’ to the players that replaced the injured Henderson in the Liverpool midfield at Vicarage Road, but the front three ‘feed off’ their captain’s ability to get the ball from Virgil van Dijk and drive forward.

Henderson is facing a number of weeks on the sidelines because of an injury, as in his absence, Liverpool’s unbeaten record was ended by Nigel Pearson’s relegation-threatened side. 

Speaking to White and Sawyer on TalkSport (02/03/20 at 11:40 am), Foster shared how he was feeling and what he was thinking as Watford put one, two and then surprisingly three goals past this seemingly unbeatable Liverpool side. 

On whether he heard anything amongst the Liverpool players when it was 3-0 and were they thinking ‘we have had it, the unbeaten record is gone’: “I didn’t hear anything,” Foster told TalkSport. “But you could definitely see it. You could sense it and you could see it. 

“There were times when Van Dijk was coming 25 yards from my goal with the ball. That’s how much at times we had to sit back. But it was fine. We were all in shape. It was nice. It was controlled, I never felt under threat or in trouble or anything. But there were times where you had Mane and Salah dropping to get the ball from him. 

“Henderson for me is a massive loss for Liverpool. He is the guy that gets the ball from Van Dijk and drives with it. And them three front three players can feed off that. It’s no disrespect to the players that played in his place on Saturday night, Oxlade-Chamberlain and people like that, but they are just different players. For Liverpool, Henderson keeps it ticking nicely.”

There has been a lot of talk surrounding Henderson this season and whether the £20 million signing from Sunderland in 2011 [Telegraph] is potentially deserving of a Player of the Year award.  

It has been a tough ride for the Englishmen since his move from the Stadium of Light, but during these past few years, he has taken his game to another level and started to seriously thrive. 

And given his importance to Liverpool and the performances he has been producing in the middle of the park this term, there is some talk about him potentially being named the PFA Player of the Year at the end of the season.