Match Coverage

‘That is disappointing’: Henderson not happy with what Liverpool did during the first-half against Man City

Add as preferred source on Google

Jordan Henderson has shared his disappointment with the way Liverpool started their game against Manchester City yesterday.

The Reds were behind within five minutes at the Etihad. Kevin De Bruyne’s early goal put Liverpool immediately on the back-foot against the Champions.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live via BBC Sport after the game, Henderson lamented the way Liverpool began the game.

“We didn’t settle into the game until they scored and that is disappointing,” said The Reds captain.

Manchester City v Liverpool - Premier League
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images

“But we showed great resilience to come back, play football, get in pockets and hurt them. That is where [Jota’s] goal comes from. We could have done that more, but we’ve found a way to keep going within the game and not lose. In football you never know what is going to happen.”

It was a pretty dismal start to the game from Jurgen Klopp’s men. Henderson is right though, after an initial wobble, Liverpool settled back into the game and came away with a more than credible point.

The tables turned on Liverpool

Sometimes in football you just have to hold your hands up and say well played to the opposition. Yes, Liverpool were slow out of the blocks in Manchester, but City didn’t give them a second to breathe.

Manchester City v Liverpool - Premier League
Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Watching Pep Guardiola’s players rattle their counterparts in red must be what fans of Liverpool’s opponents must feel week after week.

It isn’t nice to be on the receiving end of such intensity.

Klopp and his staff will already be analysing every minute detail to see how Liverpool can start more proactively when the teams meet again this weekend.

Having been taken by surprise yesterday, it would be a surprise if Klopp allowed the same thing to happen twice.

Manchester City v Liverpool - Premier League
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images

Liverpool were outplayed during the first-half, there’s not doubt about that. The second-half was a different story though. The Reds showed that they can hurt City and Klopp will be looking for more of that in Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final.

The two Premier League games between this era’s outstanding teams have both ended in a 2-2 draw. There really is nothing to choose between them, but one has to come out on top on Saturday.

If Liverpool start with the same sloppiness they showed yesterday, it’s unlikely they’ll get away with it again.

Keep up to date with all the latest Liverpool news and opinion by following Rousing The Kop’s official Facebook page