Skipper: I'm getting my physicality back after injury
Having at times played through pain to be involved in recent months, Jordan Henderson is hoping the heel injury that has affected his season will soon be a thing of the past.
The Liverpool captain was on the sidelines for most of the first half of the campaign after being forced off during the second match back in August, against Bournemouth at Anfield.
He returned in late November and has since featured regularly under Jürgen Klopp, steadily strengthening his condition with each game as he tried to help the Reds’ cause.
Henderson admits the issue is yet to completely resolve itself but the midfielder feels he is now much closer to being able to perform at 100 per cent.
The skipper told the Liverpool Echo after Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur: “I feel as though I’m getting back to where I want to be.
“Sometimes I can be my own worst enemy if I’m playing with an injury or different things. It’s my own fault at times. But that’s just the way I am. I want to play football. I want to try to put myself out for the team.
“I feel as though now I’m starting to get back to the physicality – that’s a big part of my game. When that’s correct then everything else seems to flow much better. I felt good against Spurs.
“When I was away with England I think I put in one of my highest performances of the season [against Germany] in terms of the physical side of the game, which was pleasing for me.
“I got confidence from that and I just need to continue to work instead of trying to play catch-up all the time.”
Henderson continued: “It’s not an issue for me. After games it still gets a bit sore but it’s much better than how it was and that’s pleasing.
“I am out there, I’m playing and I can manage it. When it completely goes will be whenever I have a rest. But I’m not sure if I’ll have one of them any time soon.
“Maybe if I go to the Euros, I’ll have some time off after that and then after the rest hopefully it will have completely settled.
“Until then, I just have to manage it. I feel better physically all the time and I’m getting back to where I want to be.”