Jordan Henderson Says He Feels 'More Natural' in Advanced Midfield Role

Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson has said his form for England has encouraged Reds boss Jurgen Klopp to give him a more attacking role in the side recently. 

At times this season, the Liverpool captain has been deployed at the base of the midfield and has been tasked with disrupting opposition attacks. However, in a cameo appearance at Southampton last Friday and a commanding display against Porto on Tuesday, Henderson has looked more at ease when further forward.

The Reds skipper said he spoke to Klopp about his duties in the side recently and how he wants to be given license to join attacks, per Andy Hunter of the Guardian:

"Me and the gaffer just had a conversation. Obviously he saw the England games. I felt good playing in that position. I felt more natural, and it was something he said he would think about.

"I can do both positions, and he sees I can do both. It's basically what he wants and needs. I felt more comfortable and natural in that position for England, creating chances further up and doing what I enjoy doing. At the same time when I [have] played No 6 I felt I've learned that position really well."

When Liverpool were drawing 1-1 at Southampton, Henderson made a crucial impact from the bench, setting up Mohamed Salah's goal with a well-placed header and then netting himself.

In the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final with Porto, Henderson's incisive pass was key in the buildup to Liverpool's second goal in a 2-0 win (UK and U.S. only, respectively):

In England's recent win over Montenegro, he showcased his passing range with a fine assist for Raheem Sterling:

Football writer Joel Rabinowitz noted Henderson has shown he can be productive from midfield previously for the Reds:

With Fabinho impressing as the anchor in the Liverpool midfield, it's likely we'll see Henderson operate in one of the two more advanced positions during the run-in. From there, his energy, tenacity and underrated ability on the ball can cause opposition defences problems.

When he's not on the field, Liverpool suffer in terms of their organisation and focus in the midfield positions. Klopp knows he can trust Henderson to be his leader.

The manager reserved special praise for his captain following the win over Porto:

With Liverpool competing for the Premier League title and the Champions League, there's likely to be rotation throughout the squad in the remaining weeks of the season. Midfield is the area where Klopp has shuffled things around most frequently.

However, it would be a shock if Henderson didn't feature in the majority of the matches between now and the end of the season, having proved just how key he can be to Liverpool in these high-pressure encounters.