Danny Murphy issued a frosty response to suggestions that Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is not international class and insisted he should be the first name on the England team sheet.
Henderson was allowed to withdraw from the Three Lions camp ahead of their final game of the current international break against Iceland at Wembley and return to Liverpool so they could assess his fitness after asking to be substituted at half-time in Sunday’s 2-0 defeat in Belgium.
National team manager Gareth Southgate declared after the game that the 30-year-old had felt a “tightness” in his muscles.
Henderson has been capped 58 times by England but a caller who criticised Southgate for continually selecting him was given short shrift by former Liverpool midfielder Murphy.
Taking the fan to task, a riled Murphy is quoted by HITC as telling talkSPORT: “Look, hold on.
“First and foremost, Jordan in any England midfield is the first name on the sheet. Whatever system, as simple as that. No doubt for me.
“I watch all the England games and I am telling you what I think, not what some random guy thinks. Jordan Henderson is the best England midfielder that we have got. In terms of an all-round midfielder and being a leader.
“We need him on the pitch. In any formation. Full stop. Done!”
