Liverpool vice-captain Jordan Henderson is a double winner at this moment in time.
Brendan Rodgers recounted how Henderson navigated the busiest of schedules in order to help Liverpool defeat Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Henderson dashed back and forth between Liverpool’s hotel (near Blackburn) and his partner’s bedside (presumably in or around the city of Liverpool) in the early morning hours Wednesday. Henderson’s partner gave birth to their second child, and he was on hand to witness his baby girl’s entrance into the world. Henderson then rejoined the Reds for the big game.
“Jordan Henderson actually had to go back from the hotel — his partner had their second child during the night, so he had gone away, hadn’t slept so much and traveled back again and put in a performance like he did tonight, a real captain’s performance,” Rodgers said, according to LiverpoolFC.com. “Some players maybe would have missed the game, but he said to me, ‘Boss, as soon as the baby’s out I’ll be coming back!’ There was a car waiting!
“He spent time with his young partner, child and family, which is great, but he said, ‘I’ll be back,’ and he was. He had his lunch, he had a good sleep this afternoon and then played like a real captain.”
Henderson, 24, showed no visible effects from the sleep-deprived night. He provided his normal drive and leadership in Liverpool’s midfield and set up Philippe Coutinho’s game-winning goal in the 70th minute.
Henderson might not have needed his teammates’ help walking off the field at Ewood Park after the final whistle. If he required assistance, however, we can understand why.
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Photo via Jon Super/Associated Press
Thumbnail photo via LiverpoolFC.com
