'Hendo is the perfect captain for youngsters to follow'

So says the 23-year-old himself, who stepped into the skipper’s midfield berth for the EFL Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday night.

Since breaking into the first-team squad at the beginning of the year, Stewart has had the opportunity to work closely with Henderson at Melwood.

It is a chance the No.35 has grasped too, keenly studying how the England international prepares for games and fulfils his duties as the leader of the side.

“He’s a really cool guy,” Stewart told Liverpoolfc.com. “He doesn’t come across as a big, scary captain.

“He’s a really calm, settled guy and is really approachable. That’s perfect for younger players to not feel too intimidated.”

Henderson has been adapting to a different role this season by dropping deeper in the middle of the park and offering protection to the attackers in front of him.

And the task appears to be bringing the best out of the captain.

Stewart added: “He’s very consistent. He rarely gives the ball away, he’s really safe in his play, defensively really good and offers a lot of protection.

“When the front players need to do their bit, he’s always there for insurance. He’s just a leader in general.

“He is really experienced and has gone down the path I want to in the future.

“To see what he goes through and what he is doing is really important, to have a look and not copy him exactly but learn from what he does.”