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Jordan Henderson sends emotional message to Roberto Firmino and makes Liverpool future prediction
Jordan Henderson has paid tribute to Roberto Firmino as the striker prepares to close the curtain on eight decorated years as a Liverpool player this month.
The Reds host Aston Villa in their final home game of the campaign on Saturday afternoon with an injured Firmino still hopeful of being involved for what would be the last home appearance of a Reds career that has spanned 360 games to date.
The No.9 has missed the last six games with a muscle problem but is expected to be back in full training this week ahead of the last match at Anfield against Unai Emery’s Villa.
Firmino’s name was sung with gusto for large parts of the 3-0 win over Leicester City at the King Power on Monday night before the former Hoffenheim forward went across with his team-mates to salute the away end for their efforts at full time.
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And Reds captain Henderson, who is one the few in the current squad to have pre-dated Firmino’s 2015 arrival, admits it will be difficult to see the Brazilian leave.
“Bobby is a big part of the squad and he is an amazing guy,” Henderson said. “He will obviously be missed along with the other lads who are leaving as well. So it’ll be tough to see them leave but we’ve got business to do now for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got two games left and then we can say the goodbyes after that.
“The focus is always just on the game first and foremost. We will be doing everything we can to win (against Villa) and then whatever happens after that happens. But winning the game is the most important thing, trying to get the three points on Saturday.”
Curtis Jones netted twice in the first half at Leicester before Trent Alexander-Arnold’s stunning strike sealed Liverpool’s seventh straight Premier League victory to close the gap on Manchester United in fourth to just one point.
It’s now nine games unbeaten for the Reds since a 4-1 loss at Manchester City at the start of April and Henderson feels the current run is important to helping start next season off on the right foot, regardless of whether or not it brings Champions League football.
The Liverpool skipper added: “I think [this run] shows that we’re still a very good team and yes we’ve had our problems through the season for different reasons.
“But I think we’ve shown over a good number of weeks now to be fair that we’re still a good team and we can still play games at a high level and win them consistently. Hopefully we can do that now in the last two games and carry that through into next season.
“That’ll be the plan (to start next season well). There are a lot of lads who are going to leave and there will be a few lads coming in, so we all need to be ready. It’s a big pre-season for us but we’ve still got two games left and that is the focus for us at the minute.
“I think there’s a lot that still has to happen for us to try and get in there, so we’ve just got to concentrate on our own job and that is to win the next two games. And then we will see where we are at the end of the season.
“I think it was a good performance overall. There was a clean sheet, some good goals and some good performances all around, so we’re really happy.”
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