Jordan Henderson has been absent for Liverpool’s last two games, both of which ended in defeat.
Gary Lineker has written on Twitter that Liverpool’s erratic form is strengthening Jordan Henderson’s claim at PFA Player of the Year – despite being injured.
The Reds slumped to a third defeat in four games across all competitions by losing 2-0 to Chelsea in the FA Cup last night.
That one comes days after Liverpool lost 3-0 away to Watford in the Premier League, ending their 44-match unbeaten run in England’s top tier.
Henderson, among the favourites to scoop a number of individual gongs come the end of this season, has been missing for both of those defeats due to injury.
And Lineker believes that the way in which Jurgen Klopp’s side have struggled without their captain only illustrates his importance to the team.
Is Lineker right? He might well be.
It’s probably no coincidence that Liverpool have lost twice in a row when their skipper has been sidelined, but whether it actually improves his chances of winning Player of the Year is another thing.
If he leads Liverpool to their first-ever Premier League title, which he will, then the £20 million signing from 2011 might win it anyway, but surely his impact can’t be greater when he isn’t on the field.
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