Jordan Henderson ‘matches’ Steven Gerrard, claims ex-Liverpool player, but Brendan Rodgers reportedly questioned his commitment
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson CAN be compared to club legend Steven Gerrard, according to former Red Jason McAteer.
Henderson arrived at Anfield in 2011 from Sunderland as a 21-year-old but initially struggled to settle in.
The Premier League leaders paid around £20million for him, but it's understood he nearly left when Brendan Rodgers replaced Kenny Dalglish as manager a year later but Henderson stayed and gradually grew into his role at the club.
The midfielder was then made Liverpool captain following Gerrard's departure in 2015.
There were suggestions Henderson has struggled to reach the high standards set by Gerrard as skipper - Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp even claimed Henderson has 'the hardest job in football' being Gerrard's successor.
However, Henderson is finally getting the rewards for his hard work as he helped Liverpool win last season's Champions League, while the Reds are well on their way to winning their first ever Premier League title this term.
They need just six more wins to wrap up the league, with their next game at bottom-of-the-table Norwich on Saturday, a match you can listen to LIVE on talkSPORT, kick-off 5:30pm.
Henderson is even being talked up as the best player in the Premier League this season, including from talkSPORT's Adrian Durham and Darren Bent.
Meanwhile, talkSPORT's Tony Cascarino, who's a Liverpool fan, believes Henderson was the club's 'player of the decade'.
And Henderson has got McAteer's vote, too. The former Liverpool defender said the 29-year-old matches Gerrard 'every inch in terms of winning mentality.'
McAteer told : "Critics spent years having a go at Jordan Henderson, saying that he would never be good enough to fill Steven Gerrard’s boots. But you can definitely compare them and their ability to drag their side over the line.
"Steven Gerrard was the master of driving his team into the dirt and getting that one final push to get a result. And Jordan is every inch his match in terms of winning mentality.
"He’s still growing and maturing into a really versatile midfielder who could easily have another few years at the top at Anfield.
"He can tackle and head a ball, he’s got a huge range of passing, is unbelievably fit and has that desire to lead the team to victory in every game.
"I’ve got nothing but admiration for Henderson, and he definitely gets my vote for Player of the Year."
However, it seems not everyone at Liverpool rated Henderson.
Former manager Rodgers questioned the commitment of the now Reds captain, according to Henderson's former teammate Stewart Downing.
Downing told : “The second year at Liverpool with Brendan was strange really. I didn’t get the feeling at the start that he wanted me, maybe because I was a Kenny signing.
“There was one point when he questioned our commitment; me, Jordan Henderson and Jose Enrique, which was strange, because I’d been in his office two days before that and nothing got said.”