Liverpool win Premier League: Jordan Henderson on Klopp, fans & future titles

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson says he “cannot express” what Jurgen Klopp has done for the Premier League champions and hopes the manager will stay “for a long time yet”.

Liverpool won their first league title for 30 years on Thursday after Chelsea beat closest rivals Manchester City.

The Reds are 23 points clear with seven games remaining.

Klopp ‘absolutely overwhelmed’ by Liverpool title win

“We want to perform for the manager, for the football club, for the city,” midfielder Henderson said.

In a wide-ranging interview, Henderson praised Klopp’s attitude in victory or defeat.

“When you win, he’s on the dancefloor and partying but to be honest, when we lose, the way he handles that is incredible,” Henderson said.

“I always felt he had that belief in this team that after each final we maybe did not win, we would come back stronger, or when we have won, he knows that we’ll keep going.

“This is why it feels so good, to give something back to everyone, especially the Premier League title everyone has wanted for so long.”

Klopp, who took over at Liverpool in 2015, has won the Champions League, Uefa Super Cup, Fifa Club World Cup and now the Premier League with Liverpool.

“You have to give a lot of credit to the players, who have been outstanding, but ultimately we all follow the manager,” Henderson said.

“From day one since he came into Melwood, what he’s done has been unbelievable, from inside the club to outside [it].

“I can’t express enough how much he has done for this football club since he’s been here. Hopefully he’s here for a long time yet and we can continue this journey together.”

‘There’s more to come from this team’

Henderson joined Liverpool from Sunderland in 2011 and has been captain since 2015.

He has been involved in all four of Liverpool’s titles under Klopp, having made 337 appearances for the club.

Liverpool came close to winning the title in 2019 but lost out to Manchester City by one point.

“We want more trophies and to stay with the same mentality and desire, which I have no question we will,” Henderson said.

“I feel as though there’s still more to come from this team. We’ve had an amazing year and that’s just driven us on to want more.

“Hopefully that will never change and I have got no doubt about that with the type of players we have and the mentality in the dressing room.”

‘We have a chance to break points record’

Liverpool could still break Manchester City’s record total for an English top-flight season of 100 points, set in 2018.

So far, the Reds have amassed 86 points – with 28 victories, two draws and a single defeat from 31 games.

At one stage they led the table by 25 points – a record gap between a side in first and second in the English top flight.

Their title win this season is the earliest on record, at least with regard to games remaining, with the Reds having seven to play.

They could still register the most wins in a season (the record is 32), most home wins (18), most away wins (16) and biggest winning margin (19 points).

“Now we are Premier League champions, which was the goal at the start of the season, we have seven games left and we want to win all seven,” Henderson said.

“That’s not easy but that’s our mentality. If we can do that, you’re talking about records and amounts of points.

“We can’t think too far ahead, which I don’t like doing. Our next game is a huge game against City [on Tuesday], who are an amazing side.”

Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold added that breaking the points record was a further motivation for the club.

“I think we have got a chance of that becoming real,” he told BBC North West Tonight.

“The points record is one that is difficult to beat, but I think if we can surpass that, then it will hopefully stand for a really long time.”

Crowds gathered outside Anfield to celebrate on Thursday and Friday, despite social distancing restrictions as the UK attempts to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

Fans will be unable to attend Liverpool games for the remainder of the season, with matches held behind closed doors.

“I can’t wait until that moment when we’re reunited and together again and we can have some sort of celebration,” Henderson added.

“It’s more to thank them for everything they’ve done for us as a team, as a club. Without them we wouldn’t be in this position.” – bbc.com