Van Dijk ditches Liverpool approach used by former captain Jordan Henderson

23 November 2023 , 07:00

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Van Dijk ditches Liverpool approach used by former captain Jordan Henderson

A lot has changed at Liverpool in recent years, with a number of Reds legends calling time on their Anfield stay for pastures new.

Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Fabinho have all opted to test themselves elsewhere, as have James Milner and former captain Jordan Henderson. That is a lot of experience that has been drained from the Reds' dressing room in a short space of time and Liverpool's current crop could be excused for appearing rudderless, but the reality is quite the contrast.

Virgil van Dijk dons the armband nowadays and much like every challenge he is faced with on the pitch, he's handling life as skipper with relative ease in his own style. There has also been a shift in how manager Jurgen Klopp and his staff view the leadership style at Liverpool this term, with the Reds boss keen for the standards to be set by players rather than coaches.

Back in the day, Milner would be responsible for keeping track of any player who arrived late or turned up with the wrong clothing. The seasoned veteran would do so by standing next to a clock in the boot room of the training ground as a message to the rest of the squad.

No longer does the responsibility to maintain standards fall on the shoulders of just one or two, but now the emphasis is on the entire squad to pull their weight. Where once Henderson and Milner led the dressing room as captain and vice-captain respectively, there is now a more established leadership group.

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That group is made up of five senior figures, with Van Dijk leading the charge as captain, Trent Alexander-Arnold as his vice, while Alisson, Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah make up the rest of the selected leadership crop.

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Virgil van Dijk is now Liverpool's captain after Jordan Henderson's departure in the summer

It is clear there is a new brand of leadership style from the days of Henderson, who was widely recognised within the Liverpool squad as the main man for dictating the tone of the dressing room.

According to the Athletic, the current Reds leadership group are consulted by Klopp and his assistant Pep Lijnders on issues such as travel arrangements and what clothing should be worn. It is also up to the five recognised senior stars to organise things like night-outs for the rest of the team.

This off-field harmony appears to be translating onto the pitch, with Liverpool currently in second, one point behind reigning champions Manchester City. Next up is a trip to the Etihad on Saturday, where the Reds have the chance to go top with a win.

Josh O'Brien