Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has explained how the disappointment of missing out on the Premier League title last season served as motivation for the Reds in 2019/20 as they swept away the competition to win a first league championship in 30 years in record time.
Liverpool’s final tally of 97 points last season was the third highest in Premier League history, only to still fall one short of Manchester City. But that only spurred Henderson and his teammates on.
“I think you can use that as a motivation and that as extra energy to keep going and to want to do it really, to want to get over the line and finish the job off,” the skipper told LiverpoolFC.com.
“Last season we played so well and were so unlucky, but City were amazing and they managed pip us in the end. We kept going right until the last day and that’s all we could ask for really.
“Obviously a few weeks later winning the Champions League helped, and then I think we’ve kicked on again and we’ve been unbelievable this season.”
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Henderson said he feels ‘honoured’ to have been part of it all and cannot express in words what it means to him to be a Premier League champion.
“I could never in words describe the feeling of winning the Premier League, just like I couldn’t describe winning the Champions League. It’s a unique feeling and one that, again, I’m very proud of,” the 30-year-old explained.
“I’ve been so honoured to be part of this football club right from the first moment that I came and to go on the journey to be with this manager, this group of players, these fans – it’s been so special.”
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But despite the title being wrapped up, the attitude that has summed up Liverpool’s season so far lives on. There are seven more games to play and the Reds have the opportunity to set new Premier League records for most points, most wins and largest margin of victory to really underline their dominance and how far apart they have stood from the rest.
“We want to win every game and we want to finish off with the highest points record we can and give that everything we’ve got and then we’ll go into next season and we’ll want even more,” Henderson said, looking ahead to facing Manchester City next week.
“It’s about just keeping that hunger and I’ve got no doubt that we’ve got that because we’ve proved that over the past couple of years. Even when we have won trophies and lost trophies, we’ve reacted in the right way so I’ve got no doubt that we’ll react in the right way again.”
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Source : 90min