Brendan Rodgers thinks the two are very different players…
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers believes that Jordan Henderson is not the new Steven Gerrard, despite the obvious comparisons between the two players, according to ESPN.
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“They’re totally different players. Steven’s one of the best players of all-time in the Premier League. There’s no comparison,” the Liverpool boss said.
Rodgers was adamant that the observation can only have a negative impact on Henderson’s career, as it keeps the England international in Gerrard’s shadow, when in actuality, he is currently creating his own legacy with the club.
“You should stop trying to put pressure on a young player such as Jordan Henderson. Because he takes a corner and Steven Gerrard takes a corner, he’s not the new Steven Gerrard.
“Because he shoots from outside the box, he’s not the new Steven Gerrard. He’s Jordan Henderson, and he’s creating his own headlines,” Rodgers claimed defiantly.
Henderson has been the stand-in skipper while Gerrard recovers from a hamstring injury that he sustained in the narrow victory over Tottenham last month. Gerrard is nearing a return to the team however, ahead of the club’s upcoming FA Cup quarter-final clash with Blackburn.
The former Sunderland midfielder has been tipped to replace Gerrard as the permanent captain when the 34-year-old departs for the MLS – joining LA Galaxy in July.
Despite Rodgers’ refusal to compare the two, the 24-year-old’s midweek goal against Burnley evoked memories with the Anfield faithful of Gerrard’s stunning goal against Olympiakos in the Champions League – which was earmarked as a pivotal moment when the club went on to win the trophy nearly a decade ago.