The captain was happy with the way Liverpool handled the competitive Hammers and offered some praise for new teammate Luis Díaz.
Liverpool earned three crucial points in a narrow 1-0 victory over West Ham at Anfield last night. It was a tough match that really could have gone either way given some of the chances the Hammers created.
While it was far from a dominant display from the Reds, a win is a win, and finding ways to win when you’re not at your best is a very important trait for sides hoping to win titles. Jordan Henderson, Liverpool’s captain, was proud of the way his team responded to earn the victory in a match they knew would be a challenge.
“It was always going to be a tough game. West Ham are a good team and made life difficult,” Henderson admitted on BBC Match of the Day. “We were prepared for that. It was tough but I’m pleased with the way we reacted. We got a clean sheet, which is important, and got the three points which is the main thing.”
While neutrals and pundits pointed to West Ham’s chances as proof they deserved something from the match, the skipper pointed out that Liverpool had plenty of chances as well.
“Lanzini had great chance, but we had chances as well in first half,” said Henderson. “So there were chances at both ends. We dominated the ball for large parts and towards the end, we had to grind it out.”
In addition to being pleased with his team grinding out a win, Henderson was also pleased with another really strong performance from Liverpool’s January addition, Luis Díaz.
“He’s hit the ground running. He’s been fantastic. He was immense in the [Carabao Cup] final and again today brilliant. He’s fit straight in, pressing and winning the ball high up the pitch.”
Three points against a side challenging for the top four and another excellent performance from the new signing who has settled in quicker than anyone ever could have imagined – how could you not be pleased with that?
