Former Liverpool winger Stewart Downing has praised current club captain Jordan Henderson for his attitude and tenacity.
Downing and Henderson both joined the Reds in 2011 from Aston Villa and Sunderland, respectively. The former departed Anfield two years later to join West Ham United. Meanwhile, Henderson became club captain in 2015 after Steven Gerrard's departure and has lifted five major trophies since.
Speaking on the club's official website LiverpoolFC.com, Downing said of Henderson:
“You’ve got to give him credit for his attitude, sticking at it, improving every year and it’s no surprise he’s gone on because of his attitude. He has played for a few managers, played with a lot of different players but he always seems to play every week. That’s why managers rely on him – because of his attitude and his ability."
He added:
“The biggest compliment you can give him is he plays every week; he has got world-class players around him and some of them are getting left out, that’s probably the biggest thing I can give to him.”
Downing is set to join his former teammates in a charity match between Liverpool legends and Barcelona legends at Anfield on Saturday. The Reds' legends are unbeaten in their last three home fixtures. They won against Real Madrid and AC Milan while drawing against Bayern Munich.
Jordan Henderson looking to complete a quadruple this season with Liverpool
Henderson has already lifted one trophy this season, the Carabao Cup. The Reds defeated Chelsea on penalties in the final in February.
The Reds are now on the path to completing a potential quadruple this season. They sit second in the Premier League, just one point behind leaders Manchester City. They face City in what could be a title decider on April 10 at the Etihad Stadium.
They will also face the Cityzens in the semi-finals of the FA Cup on April 16.
In addition to the domestic competitions, Liverpool have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League as well. They will face Benfica in a two-legged tie and are favorites to reach the semi-finals comfortably.
This could be a big season for the Reds as they could become the first English team to complete a quadruple. They return to action after the current international break to take on Watford at Anfield in the Premier League on April 2.