Steven Gerrard ending Saudi nightmare sheds new light on Jordan Henderson exit
After going months without a win, Steven Gerrard and Al-Ettifaq finally brought their long barren run to an end on Thursday night.
The Saudi Pro League outfit hadn't won for four months prior to their 2-0 triumph over Khaleej in the week - a result which has eased the pressure on Gerrard, who was handed a two-year contract extension back in January.
It's been a challenging period for the Liverpool legend, whose stock has fallen considerably over the past 18 months. The fact that his name hasn't been mentioned at all since Jurgen Klopp announced his plan to leave Liverpool at the season speaks volumes as to his current standing in the game.
He's not exactly had a chance to dwell on that, either, given his current club have been in free fall during recent months. He admitted as much post-match, saying: "We have a lot of time to improve before the next game. For me, the pressure is now off."
Intriguingly, Al-Ettifaq's win was their first since former captain Jordan Henderson left the club during the January transfer window - just months after joining the club as a free agent.
All the details for Cristiano Ronaldo's next Saudi Pro League game for Al-Nassr
The England midfielder, 33, left Liverpool to join Gerrard in Saudi Arabia after being offered a lucrative contract. However, Henderson tore up said deal to return to Europe with Dutch giants Ajax.
On paper, that should have made Gerrard's job harder given Henderson was one of the club's marquee summer signings. But the team have managed to get back to winning ways without their departed skipper.
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Jordan Henderson quit Al-Ettifaq to join Ajax in the January transfer window (ANP/AFP via Getty Images)Henderson's departure did not have a detrimental impact on Gerrard's commitment to the club, with confirmation of his contract extension coming shortly after the midfielder's move.
Speaking after confirmation of the news, Gerrard said: "This is very pleasing for myself and my family and feels like recognition for a lot of hard work and commitment. We knew at the beginning this was a big job and a challenging job. We had to put in place new infrastructure like building a new training ground in phases and building a new stadium. But a lot has been achieved."
He continued: "I've learnt about adapting to a new culture, a new league, making new friends, facing new challenges. I think that has made a better person and a better coach and also made me mature a bit more as well."
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