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Jordan Henderson was a frustrated onlooker when Liverpool capitulated at St Mary’s a fortnight ago.

Relegated to bench duty due to a sickness bug, the Reds skipper was stripped and ready to come on after Southampton had equalised in the closing stages.

But as he waited on the touchline for the ball to go out of play a comedy of defensive errors enabled Sadio Mane to make it 3-2. Henderson was told to sit back down.

With Liverpool suddenly facing defeat, Jurgen Klopp opted to throw on Sheyi Ojo instead in place of Joe Allen. The Reds were beaten with the England international unable to help the cause.

It’s been a familiar tale during a difficult first season for Henderson as captain.

Trying to follow in the footsteps of a Kop icon like Steven Gerrard was always going to be problematic but the 25-year-old has been dogged by issues beyond his control.

Henderson has been restricted to just 14 league starts and has scored only two goals. He hasn’t been able to lead in the way that he hoped.

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A debilitating heel injury effectively wrecked the first half of the campaign for him. After limping off against Bournemouth in August, he was sidelined for three months – the longest absence of his career.

There is no quick fix for plantar fasciitis - a thickening of the band of tissue running underneath the sole of the foot - and there were plenty of sleepless nights.

A wide range of injections finally got him back playing again in late November but he had to skip training sessions and remained in significant discomfort.

When the troublesome fascia ligament fully ruptured in January the pressure around his heel eased but he still has to be managed carefully.

Throughout Henderson has battled on - playing through the pain barrier and putting the team first. He has never looked for excuses.

By his own admission his form has been patchy and the spotlight on him from wearing the armband hasn’t been kind.

There have been some telling contributions along the way such as his classy finish to a blistering counter attack which kick-started the Reds’ comeback from 3-1 down to beat Norwich City 5-4 at Carrow Road.

But there also been some crushing setbacks - not least defeat in the Capital One Cup final to Manchester City. Lifting a trophy at Wembley would have been the perfect fillip as he looks to make his mark as skippper.

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Instead the afternoon ended in shootout heartache with Henderson, whose influence on the game had waned, criticised for not taking a penalty - despite Klopp opting to put him down as the sixth taker.

When Liverpool have fallen short, plenty of flak has been directed in Henderson’s direction. Questions have been asked about leadership as well as the Reds’ ability to control games in midfield.

Henderson can handle it. He’s no strange to criticism and his mental strength shone through when he battled back from a torrid first season at Liverpool following his £18million move from Sunderland in 2011.

He could have thrown the towel in then when he was offered an escape route to Fulham but vowed to stay put and make his mark.

Much of the stick Henderson has had this season has been grossly unfair. Those questioning whether Klopp would be better off selling him this summer have short memories.

They forget the major role he played in the title challenge of 2013/14. They forget how he continued to flourish after being made vice-captain last season when he scored seven goals and chipped in with 14 assists.

Henderson hasn’t been able to hit those heights this season. He hasn’t been able to influence games in the final third to the same degree but there are mitigating circumstances for that.

The injuries and the time he missed have dented that trademark athleticism and energy. He’s been left playing catch-up. He’s also been asked to play in a deeper role, which limits his licence to get forward.

But at the age of 25 his best years still lie ahead. He’s a model professional who leads his life right and commands the respect of his team-mates.

When fully fit and firing on all cylinders, he’s also ideally suited to Klopp’s brand of high intensity attacking football.

It’s less than a year since Henderson penned a new contract to keep him at Anfield until 2020. The time since hasn’t been kind to him but there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

He’s proved his Anfield doubters wrong once and he will do so again with relish.