Programme notes'Responding to setbacks is in this team's armoury'

The Reds have followed up their 3-2 loss at London Stadium by winning their next seven fixtures, scoring 18 goals and conceding just twice.

Henderson and his teammates are out to maintain this spell of fine form as Newcastle United arrive at Anfield this evening for a Premier League duel.

In his column in the matchday programme, Henderson writes: “This time last month we went into a home game against Arsenal asking questions of ourselves.

“We had lost to West Ham in our previous fixture, conceding three goals and generally falling short of the standards that we have set in recent seasons. As a squad, we knew we had to do better.

“Since then, we have played five Premier League games, taking maximum points and conceding just one goal. We have also reached the last 16 of the Champions League having won all six of our group matches.

“As captain, I couldn’t be prouder of our response to the setback at West Ham. It is exactly what was needed and the lads have delivered on all fronts.

“I should stress, though, that none of this is a boast. If anything, it’s the opposite because the humility that allowed us to react so positively will continue to be required every single time we step out onto the pitch, whether it’s in training or competitive games.

“If there’s one thing that football has taught me, it’s that if you ever feel comfortable in what you’re doing it won’t be long before someone makes you feel uncomfortable.

“The Premier League is a place where complacency or even just a slight drop in standards can be costly. You only have to look at how tight our last two games have been, and the way Wolves and Aston Villa fought until the very last kick, to know that if we had shown any weakness we would almost certainly have been punished and points would have been dropped.

“So there can’t be any letting up – not tonight or at any time in the future. I’m not foolish enough to think we can’t be beaten, but I also know that this group of players has all the qualities needed, individually and collectively, to ensure that at the very least we should be difficult to beat.

“This is our minimum acceptable standard and if we take it into every game we won’t go too far wrong.

“Their reasons may be different but Newcastle will be as determined as we are to take maximum points tonight. Like our supporters, their fans would demand nothing else, even if there wasn’t much to play for, so we should expect a contest every bit as tough as the corresponding fixture at Anfield last season when Newcastle earned a draw with a late goal that felt like a real body blow at the time.

“I think I’m right in saying that many people wrote off our chances of getting into the top four at the time, but once again the lads rallied to achieve something that was supposed to be beyond them.

“Defying expectations and responding to setbacks is clearly something that this Liverpool team has in its armoury and long may that continue.”

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