Liverpool travel to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday for one of the biggest games in the Premier League season so far.
In truth, Jordan Henderson probably gets criticised too much.
He has had a fantastic 2018, captaining Liverpool to the Champions League final and becoming a key component of an England side that captured the hearts of the nation again and reached the semi-finals of this summer’s World Cup.
But is he a better footballer than Moussa Dembele? Probably not.
No wonder Phil Thompson’s combined Liverpool and Tottenham XI, revealed on Sky Sports ahead of Saturday’s heavyweight clash, has so many Spurs fans voicing their disbelief.
Liverpool legend Thompson chose Henderson at the base of his midfield with Dembele nowhere to be seen.
And you would be hard pushed to find many fans, Spurs and neutral alike, who would have made the same decision. Yes, Henderson deserves more credit for his energy, work-rate and impressive leadership skills but he lacks the skill and the drive of Dembele, who Mauricio Pochettino called a genius back in February, as reported by the Standard.
Also missing from Thompson’s midfield were Eric Dier and Dele Alli, which has raised even more questions from an unimpressed Spurs fan base.
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