Former Liverpool star Stephen Warnock has hit back at comments made by Roy Keane about Jordan Henderson.
Keane was critical of the decision to have Henderson included in England’s squad for the summer’s European Championships.
Going into the tournament, Henderson had spent more than three months on the sidelines with injury and had only returned to Liverpool’s matchday squad on the final day of last season as an unused substitute.
Gareth Southgate’s decision to take Henderson to the competition was criticised by Keane, who took an opportunity to question the decision earlier in the summer.
“He’s an experienced player, but to not kick a ball for three-and-a-half months and go to a European Championship… he can’t be right,” Keane told ITV Sport, ahead of England’s friendly against Romania in June.
“I’ve heard lots of people say they want him around the place? For what? Does he do card tricks? Does he have a sing-song? Do quizzes in the evenings? What does he do?
“And if you’re Liverpool then you wouldn’t be happy either. Surely Jordan doesn’t want to be around the place if he’s some sort of cheerleader, you want to play, and clearly he’s nowhere near it.”
Henderson made his first Liverpool appearance in six months on Monday night as he came off the bench in the Reds’ 3-1 friendly win over Osasuna.
Speaking to LFCTV after the game, Warnock made a sarcastic jibe aimed at Keane’s previous comments about the Liverpool captain.
“Card tricks apparently. That’s Roy Keane’s comment wasn’t it. He said why’s he there unless he can do card tricks,” Warnock told LFCTV when asked about Henderson’s role with the Three Lions.
“But it’s not about that with him. He’s a leader, a natural guy who wants the team to succeed. He understands the role that he has to play there.
“I look at the semi-final and final he [Southgate] played him, because of his ability on the pitch to help people through games.
"He’s hugely influential.”
