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Following a pair of tough losses and with the squad looking dangerously thin, a home date against Hull City became a more difficult proposition than it might have appeared over Christmas with Liverpool top of the league and on impeccable form. In the end, the players may not have hit those previous highs, but Jordan Henderson believes it's just as important to have shown they can grind out results.
"Maybe we didn’t play as well as we have done when we have won by four or five," he told the Liverpool Echo, "but we showed we can grind a result out when we’re not at our best. I should have scored with the chance I had when I dragged it wide, and their keeper made a couple of good saves from Philippe, but the most important thing was getting the three points and we’re delighted with the result."
One of the main concerns following the losses to Chelsea and Manchester City—beyond injuries to Joe Allen and Mamadou Sakho that left an already thin squad further threadbare—was the damage they might have done to the squad's psyche as they fell from first to fifth in less than a week. For the players, though, Henderson insisted those losses were mostly seen as a case of bad luck rather than a reason for doubt.
"I think we can’t be too disheartened with the performances against Man City and Chelsea," said the energetic midfielder. "I felt we played well and definitely deserved something out of both games. I thought we matched them, if not were better than them, in the two games. We just didn’t get the bit of luck that we deserved.
"We had to forget about all that and put things right against Hull. It was very important to get back to winning ways after those two defeats. We’re back in the top four and I definitely believe we can stay there. Now we’ve got keep it going and try to kick on for the rest of the season."
