Liverpool’s win percentage with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho

The Liverpool midfield was poor in 2022/23
Jordan Henderson and Fabinho are both linked to Saudi Arabia
The pair have a great track record when they debuted together

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool juggernaut was characterized by its majestic three-man attack, its creative demons at the back and the distinct excellence of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson.

The German’s engine room remained somewhat under the radar, but the trio in midfield were the crucial stabilizing force needed to ensure Liverpool’s highly dynamic and risk-taking methodology delivered results week after week.

Clever Gini Wijnaldum provided technical safety and protection against counter-attacks from the left, club captain Jordan Henderson shouted and ran a lot and sometimes proved a useful valve down the right flank, while the lanky Fabinho was the unfazed presence at grassroots level. As a trio, the dynamic worked in perfect harmony.

While the Reds’ midfield play was good for a while following Wijnaldum’s departure, Liverpool’s engine room has certainly weakened from the highs of 2018/19 and 2019/20. Henderson and Fabinho in particular suffered a drop in performance and their respective struggles last season were a major factor in the club’s disappointing season.

A midfield shake-up was in order and Liverpool were quick to add two new faces to their ranks in Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai to freshen up a group of stagnant positions.

Both Henderson and Fabinho are now on their way to the Saudi border but the newcomers have a tough task ahead of them if they are to rise to midfield level for the Reds during their glory days under Klopp.

Liverpool’s win percentage with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho

The overwhelming majority of Henderson and Fabinho’s 149 appearances together have come in the Premier League and Champions League. Only 12 did not.

Whilst Klopp had a slew of No8s throughout his tenure, most have struggled to assert themselves at Anfield and Captain Henderson has been used so often on big occasions. Fabinho, on the other hand, was among the first names on the squad list when he was at his best.

The pair played 107 times together in the Premier League, with Liverpool winning 72 of those games. That’s an impressive win rate of 67.3. However, their record was even better in the Champions League as the Reds have lost just seven of the 29 matches they have played together and won 20. Both entered the 2019 final and were prominent figures during that knockout campaign.

Klopp’s tendency to rotate for cup competitions meant that Henderson and Fabinho rarely competed in the FA and EFL cups. The pair then played together sporadically in the FA Cup but both started in the two semi-finals and the final in Liverpool’s successful 2021-22 EFL Cup campaign.

In retrospect, the rebuilding of Liverpool’s midfield was probably delayed by 12 months. But apart from the low point of 2022/23, not only Jordan Henderson and Fabinho are on their way out, but also Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner have already gone to new shores.

Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister are welcome arrivals from RB Leipzig and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively, but neither player will fill the gaps left by Henderson and Fabinho. This is where a player like Romeo Lavia, available from recently relegated Southampton FC, could come in. He is 19, can already read the game exceptionally well and seems to have the energy to play in midfield. by Jürgen Klopp.

Curtis Jones can also play a big role for Liverpool this season after impressing in the second half of last season and for England at the European Under-21 Championship, but signing Lavia looks like an absolute must. Unless it’s the Belgian teenager, the Reds’ recruitment team will have to quickly discover another defensive midfielder with similar qualities.