Jordan Henderson reveals how Jurgen Klopp's 'calm' half-time team talks have helped Liverpool

Liverpool overcame Premier League champions Manchester City to reach the last four

Mark Critchley
Northern Football Correspondent
Monday 23 April 2018 19:13 BST
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Jordan Henderson thinks Jürgen Klopp bring calm at moments of extreme pressure
Jordan Henderson thinks Jürgen Klopp bring calm at moments of extreme pressure (Getty)

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Jordan Henderson has revealed how Jürgen Klopp’s “calm” disposition during half-time team talks has helped Liverpool reach the Champions League semi-finals.

Klopp’s side entertain Roma at Anfield at Tuesday night with a place in next month’s Kiev final on offer if they can beat their Italian guests over two legs.

Liverpool overcame Manchester City in the quarter-finals earlier this month and despite the 5-1 aggregate scoreline, Pep Guardiola’s side dominated for long spells in both games.

An unlikely City comeback looked possible at the midway point of the second leg with Guardiola’s men 1-0 up on the night and bossing the play.

Liverpool improved in the second half at the Etihad however, scoring two unanswered goals through Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.

When asked, in light of that turnaround, how Klopp acts in the dressing room during moments of extreme pressure, Henderson said: “He is still quite calm, actually.

“He gets his message across really well. He will have maybe things up on the screen that he wants to improve on and do better in the second half, but he gets his message across really well.

“After the game he waits until the next day to digest and maybe watch the game back. Quite calm at half time in terms of what route we are going to take in second half.”

Despite Liverpool beating City to reach the last four, Henderson believes that Roma should be the ones considered as favourites for the semi-final tie after their remarkable comeback victory over Barcelona.

“You look at their last game – they knocked Barcelona out and so have really laid down a marker for the Champions League,” he said.

“They are the team to beat so we have to go out there and do what we do which is give everything and do what the manager wants us to do. If we can do that it gives us a better chance of getting to the final.”

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