‘Outstanding’: Ally McCoist suggests Liverpool have a player who’s much better than Aurelien Tchouameni

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Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson is better than any of France’s players in the same position.

That’s according to Ally McCoist, anyway. Speaking on TalkSPORT yesterday morning, McCoist singled Henderson out as a star performer in England’s World Cup last-16 win over Senegal.

“First half I thought Henderson, Bellingham in particular were outstanding. The quality of the goals was superb as well, the quality of the goals was fantastic,” raved the Scotsman.

Then asked to name a combined XI of quarter final opponents England and France, McCoist said he’d be putting Henderson in there too.

“I think England are better [than France] by some distance in the middle of the park, I really do. I’m taking all the England midfield,” he said.

Henderson back to being the main man

This sounds like a big call from McCoist, but looking at the French midfield options, perhaps it isn’t.

Having to make do without star men N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba, Didier Deschamps has some less-than-household-names in the squad.

Certainly, you can’t argue that Henderson is an upgrade on Matteo Guendouzi and Jordan Veretout. He’s also surely a significant upgrade on Monaco’s Youssouf Fofana.

Eduardo Camavinga has a big future ahead of him, sure. But, right now, how many coaches would rather stick ol’ reliable Henderson in there?

And then comes the real question mark: Aurelien Tchouameni. It’s possible that the 22-year-old had actually been earmarked as Henderson’s long-term successor at Anfield.

Had things been different, they could have been heading into Saturday’s clash as clubmates. As we know, things didn’t turn out that way, with Tchouameni joining Real Madrid instead.

Since then, the former Monaco man has become a key player for Deschamps. Starting every game so far in Qatar, that will surely continue against England this weekend.

Is he an upgrade on Hendo though? Well, in the Liverpool captain’s current form, you’d have to say not. Tchouameni is obviously a superstar in the making, but as his poor display against Poland on Sunday suggested, he isn’t the finished article. Many will disagree, but we’re with Ally on this one.

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