Former Liverpool forward Stan Collymore has given his verdict on the Merseyside club’s chances of winning the Champions League following Fabinho’s injury.
Fabinho came off injured against Aston Villa in midweek, and Jurgen Klopp has said he is a doubt for the FA Cup final this weekend against Chelsea, via Liverpool’s official website.
The Brazilian midfielder is a vital cog in Klopp’s side, and we’ve seen Liverpool struggle without him in the team. When Virgil van Dijk was injured and Fabinho was forced to play in defence, it was clear to see the difference without him in midfield.
Speaking to the Empire of the Kop Podcast, Collymore has given his verdict on whether he believes Liverpool can win the Champions League without him, and who he believes can step up in his position.
“I think that Hendo absolutely can be trusted to fill in. He’s the captain,” said Collymore.
Henderson has led Liverpool on and off the pitch in a professional manner, and even when he’s not playing every single game, when he comes off the bench, it’s visible to anyone watching the influence he has on the team.
“If you asked any football fan would you put Jordan Henderson in your team in that scenario, the answer overwhelmingly would be yes,” added Collymore.
Despite Collymore believing Henderson could step up, Fabinho is a huge miss, especially in a Champions League final.
“I think that Jordan [Henderson], Curtis [Jones], whoever steps up to the plate can more than do the job for Liverpool to be able to potentially get two or three more trophies across the line,” said Collymore.
As Collymore previously mentioned, it’s more about the whole team than individual players. With the coaching staff at Liverpool, you’d like to think any player can step up and perform to a level where they don’t hamper the team’s performance.