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Liverpool will encounter a poignant reminder of its illustrious recent history when it seeks to revitalize its struggling Premier League title campaign later. Former Reds captain Jordan Henderson will line up in opposition for the first time since his departure in the summer of 2023 when Arne Slot's team faces Brentford.
The Reds prevented a fifth consecutive defeat and their worst sequence in 72 years by defeating Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 in the Champions League during midweek. However, three consecutive Premier League losses have left Liverpool trailing four points behind pacesetters and new title contenders Arsenal.
Sunday's disappointing 2-1 home defeat to fierce north-west adversaries Manchester United prompted current Anfield skipper Virgil van Dijk to organize an unscheduled players-only gathering the next day to address where matters were deteriorating.
Slot believes his compatriot was correct to provide an alternative perspective to the struggling squad.
"What Virgil did and what I did is what you need to do, what all the players did," said the Liverpool head coach. "None of them should accept a loss against United, especially after already losing three games. That was something I was not happy about.
"It would not be good if the voice they were hearing was always me. That is why they hear my assistants too.
"And I don't think it was like Virgil brought them over and said (gestures working on a tactics board): 'From now on we must play like this'.
"We have five players who are captains of their national team. Virgil was not the only one who said something. You need that with experience, all of them can have a proper conversation.
"I encourage them to take responsibility and talk to each other, whether they are in the sauna or swimming pool, or when they are standing around with five or six of them.
"But if we have a leader like Virgil with so much respect in the group, then it is a good thing."
Slot continued: "I have had this experience maybe 250,000 times. If they are sitting upstairs at the coffee bar now, do you think they talk? I think they do.
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"They constantly talk, sometimes that is done with everybody and sometimes just the leadership group.
"They talk and they should do. They feel what happens on the pitch. But when it comes to tactics, that is my territory."
Henderson's legacy - as the sole Liverpool skipper to secure six different trophies - remains visible at the club's AXA Training Centre, where an inspirational quote from the England midfielder is displayed on the wall behind where Slot was addressing the media ahead of today's fixture.
Van Dijk - who will lead Liverpool for the 150th time this evening - took over from Henderson two years ago and guided the Reds to League Cup glory in 2024 and Premier League triumph last season. Slot commented: "For me he has been the most influential captain I have had since I became a manager. That is meant as a compliment, but most of mine in the Dutch league were 22 or 23 because if they did well, they would go somewhere else after good performances.
"Virgil has done what I expected of him with his own performances. He has been a leader throughout my period here. Every single day, I can see he is the leader.
"If we start a session I can always hear him. I could not have asked more from him in that role. He has been very good successor."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can read the original story in the Liverpool ECHO by clicking here.
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