Jordan Henderson says Liverpool can become a better team without Steven Gerrard, even as he concedes the departing captain will be a huge loss.
Gerrard's 17-year first-team Anfield career will come to an end this month as he leaves the Premier League to join the LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer.
He offered a reminder of his capacity to decide matches with an 87th-minute winner against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday in what should prove his penultimate appearance at Anfield.
But this has proved an underwhelming season for both Gerrard personally and Liverpool as a team with Brendan Rodgers’s side unlikely to finish in the top four, having suffered semi-final defeats in both domestic cups and after failing to qualify for the knockout stages of the Uefa Champions League.
“He is a big loss to the team,” said Henderson, who is poised to inherit the captaincy from Gerrard. “He is our leader and a big influence on games for us, so you will miss big players like that.
“But at the same time, we have to move on when he does go and I think we have the players who can improve and have a really good go next season.”
Liverpool have 19 points fewer than at this stage 12 months ago. Their players have been criticised in a campaign when perhaps only Henderson and Philippe Coutinho have consistently performed well and, after paying £117 million (Dh650.6m) for new signings last summer, only Emre Can of the recruits is deemed a success.
But Henderson said there is talent within the dressing room which he hopes will be augmented by astute summer additions.
PSV Eindhoven’s prolific winger Memphis Depay is one target, although he is also wanted by Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, while Burnley striker Danny Ings and Manchester City midfielder James Milner, who are both out of contract, are others Rodgers hopes to sign.
“We have quality players,” Henderson said. “Obviously bringing in people in the summer we will welcome because the better the players we have here, the better it is for us in terms of competition to get into the team and push on and try to win trophies and try to play in the Champions League.
“We have great players here. We just have to keep improving as a young squad and I am sure come next season we will be raring to go again.”
Gerrard’s late winner against QPR was all the more dramatic because he had missed a penalty a few minutes earlier, but Henderson said the 34 year old’s response showed his mental strength and leadership qualities.
“It is typical Stevie,” he said. “He will be disappointed with the penalty, but he erased it very quickly, got on with the game and came up with the goal.
“I was pleased for him because I am sure he wouldn’t have been able to get that out of his mind all night. That just shows his character. Sometimes that can affect people, but he gets on with it right to the end and he came up with the winner right at the end.”
sports@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
