Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has opened up on how he’s helped Trent Alexander-Arnold cope with the criticism with he's received recently.
The Liverpool full-back was back to his best in the 2-0 Champions League win over Rangers at Anfield on Wednesday. He fired in a superb free kick early on in the content before a Mohamed Salah penalty in the second half secured the victory for the Reds.
The past few weeks have seen Alexander-Arnold subject to plenty of criticism in certain quarters. And Henderson has defended his team-mate, explaining that it’s his job to help his fellow England international have the freedom to create chances.
READ MORE: 'It's a joke' - Rio Ferdinand makes blunt Trent Alexander-Arnold point after Liverpool win
READ MORE: Trent Alexander-Arnold addresses Liverpool criticism after Rangers win
“I think you’ve got to give Trent the licence to get forward at times and produce what he can produce in the final third,” Henderson told BT Sport. “I thought he was good defensively tonight, he did the basics well and overall, I thought it was a really good performance - I didn’t have to cover much.”
Henderson went on to explain what he tries to do, on and off the pitch, with players who are out of form, like Alexander-Arnold has been. “I think it can be difficult, you try not to listen to social media especially when you’re going through a tough period as a footballer or a team,” he said.
“You have to switch off social media, the noise around and focus on what you do day-to-day and improve your performance and stay focused on the team. And that’s not easy, with everything that goes on in the outside world and it can hurt players at times, you’ve got to try to find a way to use it as fuel and find a way to use it on the pitch to prove people wrong.
“That’s what I’ve learned the older I’ve got.”
Henderson added: “I’ve got to sense certain individuals at times need an arm around the shoulder, some of them might need a kick up the backside at times, but it’s trying to find the balance. When we’re on the pitch, it’s not personal, you try to shout, dictate and do what helps the team.
“Off the field, you can help the players and help them as much as possible and I try and use that responsibility, but we’ve got other senior players and experienced players within the dressing room who do that.
“It’s about staying together as a team especially when you go through tough moments - we’ve been through plenty of them as a team - and we have to use our experience to get through this one.”
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