Jurgen Klopp claims Jordan Henderson has the ‘hardest job in world football’ as Liverpool captain.
Henderson sat out the Reds’ Champions League encounter with Spartak Moscow in midweek but is set to return against Everton in Sunday’s Merseyside derby.
The England international’s future at Anfield was called into question after his omission from the Group E finale, which Klopp’s side romped as 7-0 winners.
However the Liverpool manager has launched an impassioned defence of Henderson, insisting that his captain deserves a greater level of respect.
“I’m not sure whether it’s an English thing or old-fashioned or whatever but even a captain cannot play all the time, said Klopp.
“That’s how it is – you cannot bring him only because of the armband
“He’s in a good moment, he’s in good shape but for this game I made a decision and I thought it made really good sense in this kind of week – not that I had it planned.
“But you need the players on the pitch who 100% know what it’s about.
“It makes sense I would say. I only spoke about it because I knew people would find out (and say) ‘Oh yes, fantastic game but Jordan didn’t play’ so make a s**t story of it.”
He added: “He’s such an important player for us. I don’t get why I have to say that.
“But I live in the city and I know, obviously I get it a little bit, how people are sometimes talking.
“Being skipper of Liverpool is the hardest job in world football, because the man who had the armband before you is Steven Gerrard.
“Sorry he finished playing football and we cannot get him back.
“I want everybody to respect that Jordan Henderson is our skipper because he deserved it, because he’s the right man for the job and all that stuff.
“But that doesn’t mean he can play all the games until he is injured!
“Actually it’s no story but in England, and especially in Liverpool it is a story, now I’ve said a little bit about it, it’s done.”