---
title: "Saul singles out Henderson for praise ahead of Atletico-Liverpool clash"
canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/articles/saul-singles-out-henderson-for-praise-ahead-of-atletico-liverpool-clash/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Henry Jackson"
section: "Articles"
published: "2020-02-17T20:00:00Z"
modified: "2020-02-17T20:00:00Z"
---

# Saul singles out Henderson for praise ahead of Atletico-Liverpool clash

Saul Niguez has singled out Jordan Henderson for special praise ahead of Atletico Madrid’s Champions League clash with Liverpool.

The two sides meet at the Wanda Metropolitano on Tuesday night, in the first leg of their last 16 meeting.

Saul and Henderson are expected to come up against each other in the middle of the park, which could prove to be a key battle.

Speaking to the [Daily Mail](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8012299/Saul-Niguez-impressed-Liverpool-Atletico-ready-exploit-weaknesses.html), the Atletico star revealed why he thinks so highly of the Liverpool skipper:

> Maybe some people don’t rate Henderson as highly as \[Georginio\] Wijnaldum, (Naby) Keita or Fabinho but I think he is the one that brings that team together.
>
> Henderson does that so-called dirty work that Gabi \[Fernandez\] used to do for us, that I have to do, that Koke does. He is an example in so many facets of the game.

### Read Liverpool Verdict

Henderson is enjoying a great season, as he leads Liverpool to impending Premier League glory. After a slow start to the campaign, he has been fantastic since Fabinho got [injured](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fabinho-injury-liverpool-napoli-breaking-17328010) in November, thriving back in the No.6 role and enjoying a pass completion rate of [84.5 per cent](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/68659/Show/Jordan-Henderson).

He has also found himself involved in [five goals in his last four appearances](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/68659/Show/Jordan-Henderson), however, going to show that he has been instrumental in the final third too.

It isn’t just on the ball where Henderson has shone, however, catching the eye with his leadership both on and off the pitch. Henderson isn’t a player who the masses will always appreciate, because so much of his good work goes under the [radar](https://www.squawka.com/en/features/jordan-henderson-how-the-premier-leagues-most-underrated-replaced-liverpools-mvp).

He bites into tackles, uses the ball far better than many give him credit for – he has registered [five assists](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/68659/Show/Jordan-Henderson) this season – and his influence in the dressing room is huge, as Andy Robertson [confirmed](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11669/11933208/andrew-robertson-jordan-henderson-is-premier-league-player-of-the-year) last week.