Tim Sherwood has claimed that Jordan Henderson was ‘very clever’ for blocking Ivan Toney from getting to the ball before Fabinho could score Liverpool’s opening goal against Brentford, as he told Premier League Productions (16/01/22 at 2:55 pm).
Jurgen Klopp’s side secured a comfortable 3-0 win over the Bees, with Fabinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Takumi Minamino all getting on the scoresheet at Anfield.
When the corner was whipped in by Trent Alexander-Arnold, Toney was on the goal line, by the near post, and seemingly preparing to head the ball away as it was making its way to the far post where Fabinho was.
But Henderson was pretty clever to position himself near Toney, and as the ball was delivered, he stopped him from running forward and charging towards the ball.
That allowed it to travel further and towards the near post where Fabinho was waiting to open the scoring for the Reds.
Sherwood noticed what the English midfielder did and he applauded the actions of the Liverpool man.
“Very clever from Henderson,” said Sherwood. “Ivan Toney is the free man. Henderson looks like he is not bothered in the play.
“All of a sudden, as soon as that ball comes over. He pins him. He doesn’t let him out and doesn’t let him attack the ball.
“I am not sure Toney heads it anyway. But Henderson has just realised it, he has looked at the other corner and he has said ‘he is heading corners out at the near post area. I am going to pin him. Eliminate him. Take him out of the action’
“And that’s exactly what he did. I think there is just cleverness. Sometimes, you don’t do things on the training ground. You have to learn on the spot and Henderson is such a clever player like that. That’s the reason they score the goal.”
Following Liverpool’s goalless draw in the League Cup against Arsenal, where they lacked that cutting edge without the likes of Mo Salah and Sadio Mane, the obvious was being thrown at the team.
Players were being questioned, but they answered it in the best possible way by putting three past a Brentford side that have caused a number of teams problems this season.
For someone like Minamino, he probably needed the goal the most because the chance he missed towards the end of the Arsenal game would have still been ringing in his head.
But the Japan international stepped up and produced the goods for his side, who moved second in the Premier League table.
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