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Liverpool legend John Aldridge believes Jordan Henderson could be the answer to Jurgen Klopp’s defensive woes amid an injury crisis.
Liverpool faced another blow midweek when Joe Gomez reportedly suffered a serious injury during international service with England. However, in an interview with Sky Sports, former club legend John Aldridge believes that Jurgen Klopp still has options to tackle this huge injury crisis this season, at least in the short term.
“We have Fabinho who can go there, he has players like Henderson and [Gini] Wijnaldum who have played there but only a few times. They can do a good job. The guys have done great, but in the long run, are they good enough right now? I don’t know, ”Aldridge told Sky Sports, suggesting in particular that midfielder Henderson could potentially be deployed as a central defender.
Klopp, during his time at Anfield, has not been shy when it comes to trying out new roles for certain players, especially to tackle injury issues. Over the years, he has played against James Milner as a fullback and Fabinho as a center, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been used as a central midfielder on occasion.
However, it is perhaps fair to point out that these players were already quite used to these roles during their previous adventures at Manchester City, AS Monaco and Arsenal respectively.
Can Henderson adapt to a new role? (Photo by PAUL ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images)
In Henderson’s case, he has played center-back only once during his seven years at Liverpool. It happened about a year ago against Monterry, in the semi-final of the FIFA Club World Cup, which is infamously known for congesting the match roster, especially for top European clubs, who already have a tight schedule in December.
Unfortunately, the hectic nature of the 2020/21 campaign, combined with the heap of injury problems, could force Klopp once again to deploy Henderson as central defender.
In recent weeks, young academy products such as Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips have stepped forward in the absence of the injured Virgil van Dijk, Gomez, and Fabinho trifecta. But, they don’t have the experience and pedigree to thrive in the Premier League, and without Gomez to complement them as a central defender, Liverpool simply cannot afford to take the risk, especially at this point in the campaign.
Henderson, therefore, should be an interesting option. The Englishman has already established himself as one of the most consistent and solid defensive midfielders in the Premier League. He just needs to replicate those performances in the heart of Liverpool’s backline, although it remains to be seen how he can adapt to a role where he will be asked to provide incisive forward passes.
Meanwhile, the Reds are already on the hunt for a new central defender. In particular, they have been linked to a move for Inter Milan star Milan Skriniar, although they could face stiff competition from league rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
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