Liverpool’s defensive crisis deepens as captain Jordan Henderson hauled off vs Everton
Last Updated: February 21, 2021 2:21 pm
Liverpool have this evening been dealt yet another blow on the personnel front, during the club’s meeting with Everton.
Toffees in front
One of the marquee fixtures of the Premier League weekend is of course currently playing out at Anfield.
The matchup in question sees rivalries renewed, as Liverpool and Everton face off in a Merseyside derby showdown.
Ahead of kick-off, the two sides were separated by just 3 points in the English top-flight table, with Carlo Ancelotti’s visitors aware that a victory would see them move level with the champions in 6th, whilst also boasting a game in hand.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 21: Carlo Ancelotti, Manager of Everton is seen in the stands prior to the Premier League match between Everton FC and Arsenal FC at Goodison Park on December 21, 2019 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
And, as things stand, this is precisely what the Toffees are headed towards.
Late in the first-half at Anfield, Everton lead by a goal to nil, courtesy of Richarlison’s cool finish inside 3 minutes:
🎙 | “What a start from #EFC!”
A superb finish from Richarlison gives Everton the lead at Anfield!
📺 Watch on Sky Sports PL
📱 Follow #LIVEVE here: https://t.co/4Rv7mcK8CH
📲 Download the @SkySports app! pic.twitter.com/hbQjTqkmuL— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 20, 2021
Hendo limps off
As outlined above, though, the current scoreline is far from hosts Liverpool’s only concern stemming from proceedings thus far in the derby.
This comes with the Reds having also been dealt a blow on the personnel front.
The individual to have picked up the problem? Jordan Henderson.
After attempting to burst away from Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure, Liverpool’s captain immediately pulled up with what appeared to be a muscle issue, before going to ground.
Henderson, to his credit, attempted to run the injury off, but was eventually left with no choice but to depart the action, limping to the sideline whilst holding his groin, to be replaced by Nat Phillips:
29′ – We’re forced into a change, as Phillips is on to replace Henderson.
[0-1]#LIVEVE
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 20, 2021
Henderson’s exit of course marks just the latest blow to an already heavily depleted Reds backline.
Before tonight, Jurgen Klopp was without the services of all of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Fabinho, forcing the club’s captain into an unfavoured defensive role.
Therefore, if Henderson is ruled out for any sort of lengthy stretch, Liverpool look set to depend on the likes of the aforementioned Phillips, and inexperienced January arrivals Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies, over the weeks ahead.
Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool not out for revenge against Everton over Virgil van Dijk injury
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This article was edited by Josh Barker.
Liverpool betting odds, next game:
Sheff Utd vs Liverpool odds: result, both teams to score, correct score & goalscorers
| Sheff Utd vs Liverpool Result/Both teams score | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Sheff Utd | 11/1 | 11/1 |
| Liverpool | 2/1 | 11/8 |
| Draw | 11/2 | 14/1 |
| Sheff Utd vs Liverpool Goalscorers | First | Last | Anytime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mohamed Salah | 5/4 | 5/4 | 4/7 |
| Diogo Jota | 15/8 | 15/8 | 10/11 |
| Sadio Mane | 15/8 | 15/8 | 10/11 |
| Roberto Firmino | 13/5 | 13/5 | 5/4 |
| Divock Origi | 11/4 | 11/4 | 7/5 |
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| # | Team | MP | D | P |
| 1 | Manchester City FC | 25 | 35 | 59 |
| 2 | Manchester United FC | 25 | 21 | 49 |
| 3 | Leicester City FC | 25 | 17 | 49 |
| 4 | West Ham United FC | 25 | 10 | 45 |
| 5 | Chelsea FC | 25 | 16 | 43 |
| 6 | Liverpool FC | 25 | 11 | 40 |
| 7 | Everton FC | 24 | 4 | 40 |
| 8 | Aston Villa FC | 23 | 11 | 36 |
| 9 | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 24 | 10 | 36 |
| 10 | Leeds United | 25 | 0 | 35 |
| 11 | Arsenal FC | 25 | 5 | 34 |
| 12 | Wolverhampton Wanderers FC | 25 | -6 | 33 |
| 13 | Crystal Palace FC | 25 | -14 | 32 |
| 14 | Southampton FC | 25 | -12 | 30 |
| 15 | Burnley FC | 25 | -12 | 28 |
| 16 | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 25 | -6 | 26 |
| 17 | Newcastle United FC | 25 | -17 | 25 |
| 18 | Fulham FC | 25 | -11 | 22 |
| 19 | West Bromwich Albion | 25 | -36 | 14 |
| 20 | Sheffield United FC | 25 | -26 | 11 |
| Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 17 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 15 |
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 13 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 13 |
| Bamford, Patrick | Leeds United | 13 |
| Calvert-Lewin, Dominic | Everton FC | 13 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City FC | 12 |
| Gundogan, Ilkay | Manchester City FC | 11 |
| Wilson, Callum | Newcastle United FC | 10 |
| Watkins, Ollie | Aston Villa FC | 10 |
| Rashford, Marcus | Manchester United FC | 9 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City FC | 9 |
| Barnes, Harvey | Leicester City FC | 9 |
| Zaha, Wilfried | Crystal Palace FC | 9 |
| Maddison, James | Leicester City FC | 8 |
| Ings, Danny | Southampton FC | 8 |
| Lacazette, Alexandre | Arsenal FC | 8 |
| Aubameyang, Pierre-Emerick | Arsenal FC | 8 |
| Soucek, Tomas | West Ham United FC | 8 |
| Mane, Sadio | Liverpool FC | 7 |
| Player | Team | Red Cards | Yellow Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellerin, Hector | Arsenal FC | 0 | 8 |
| Gallagher, Conor | West Bromwich Albion | 0 | 8 |
| Lundstram, John | Sheffield United FC | 1 | 6 |
| Evans, Jonny | Leicester City FC | 0 | 7 |
| Egan, John | Sheffield United FC | 1 | 6 |
| Bissouma, Yves | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 1 | 6 |
| Milivojevic, Luka | Crystal Palace FC | 1 | 6 |
| Hayden, Isaac | Newcastle United FC | 0 | 7 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 6 |
| Doucoure, Abdoulaye | Everton FC | 0 | 6 |
| Hojbjerg, Pierre | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 0 | 6 |
| Xhaka, Granit | Arsenal FC | 1 | 5 |
| Maguire, Harry | Manchester United FC | 0 | 6 |
| Romeu, Oriol | Southampton FC | 0 | 6 |
| Luiz, Douglas | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 5 |
| Kante, N`Golo | Chelsea FC | 0 | 6 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 0 | 5 |
| Ward-Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 0 | 5 |
| Dallas, Stuart | Leeds United | 0 | 5 |
| Soucek, Tomas | West Ham United FC | 1 | 4 |
| Player | Team | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 11 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 10 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 10 |
| De Bruyne, Kevin | Manchester City FC | 9 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 6 |
| Rashford, Marcus | Manchester United FC | 6 |
| Cresswell, Aaron | West Ham United FC | 6 |
| Digne, Lucas | Everton FC | 6 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City FC | 5 |
| Maddison, James | Leicester City FC | 5 |
| Firmino, Roberto | Liverpool FC | 5 |
| Ward-Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 5 |
| Werner, Timo | Chelsea FC | 5 |
| Raphinha | Leeds United | 5 |
| Robertson, Andrew | Liverpool FC | 5 |
| Shaw, Luke | Manchester United FC | 5 |
| Bamford, Patrick | Leeds United | 4 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City FC | 4 |
| Wilson, Callum | Newcastle United FC | 4 |
| Barnes, Harvey | Leicester City FC | 4 |
