Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp urges squad to step up after Jordan Henderson ruled out with hamstring injury

Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool have enough midfield options to react to Jordan Henderson’s hamstring injury, despite the captain’s “exceptionally important” status.

The England international sustained the issue during the closing minutes of Tuesday night’s 1-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie, which is expected to keep him sidelined for three weeks.

That would render Henderson - one of the standout players of the campaign - doubtful for the reverse fixture at Anfield on 11 March, while he’ll miss Premier League tests against West Ham, Watford and Bournemouth as well as the FA Cup trip to Chelsea.

Klopp believes England’s pacesetters have been fortunate that the setback is not as serious as other recent cases.

“It could have been worse. How we all know, it was a hamstring,” the manager said. “We heard of different hamstring injuries now around in the Premier League – Harry Kane, for example. It’s not that bad.

“But he will be out, I think, for three weeks or so, which is not cool. But how we see it, we were still lucky.

“Hendo is exceptionally important, football-wise and for some other reasons too. We have still options. There’s a chance for all of them, but there would have been a chance anyway because Hendo wouldn’t have played all the games from now until the end of the season.

“It’s a position where we can react, so we will react.”

Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Takumi Minamino have been tasked with stepping up in Henderson’s absence, but Xherdan Shaqiri is no closer to being available following frustrating struggles with a calf problem.

“He’s not close to team training yet,” Klopp revealed. “We cannot put any time pressure on it. It’s a difficult one.

“Never a big one, but always big enough to keep him out for two or three weeks. We just wait.”

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Meanwhile, the Liverpool boss admitted Sadio Mane was stunned by his withdrawal at half-time at the Wanda Metropolitano.

Klopp substituted the winger, who was on a yellow card, as he felt Atleti’s plan “was to get Sadio out of the game. I was afraid his opponent would go down now even if he takes a deep breath.”

The pair spoke about the decision at Melwood on Friday morning. “I asked if he was surprised, and he said ‘yes’. He said he was not nervous at all and he could deal with it,” Klopp detailed.

“It’s good that the player sees it that way but I saw it different. My honest opinion, I don’t think he had a chance. We need Sadio physical.

“Sadio doesn’t foul, but he has contact with his opponent. And both situations, I would say, were made up. It’s part of the game, I don’t like it too much.

“You cannot avoid situations, but the one they created a minute before half-time, with eight players around him pushing him in the ref’s direction, I didn’t believe we could finish the game with 11 if we kept him on the pitch.

“He was exceptional again, caused problems and I would have loved to have him on the pitch. He’s fine, completely fine. He’s rested, which is good again!”