Arne Slot makes feelings on Jordan Henderson clear ahead of Liverpool reunion

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Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is set to play against the Reds for the first time since leaving Anfield in 2023 and has been lauded by Arne Slot ahead of the occasions.

Henderson, 35, joined Brentford over the summer after spells at Al-Ettifaq and Ajax and has started the Bees' last seven matches. The England international isn't the only ex-Liverpool player due to face his old employers on Saturday night. Caoimhin Kelleher , Sepp van den Berg and Fabio Carvalho are also all on Brentford's books, and Slot has made reference to Henderson and Kelleher in particular.

Henderson had already moved to Saudi Arabia by the time Slot arrived at Anfield, but the midfielder's reputation precedes him. “Although I haven't worked with him, we're going to face Jordan Henderson, who, as I've been told, is the only Liverpool captain that lifted six trophies,” Slot told reporters.

“In Holland, they cannot stop talking about how much Ajax is missing Jordan Henderson. That tells you how important he was for Ajax and how important has been for Liverpool, and how he now is for Brentford."

Since losing Henderson, Ajax have lost three games out of three in the Champions League to sit bottom of the pile in the league phase. They are also off the pace domestically, sitting fourth in the Eredivisie with a nine-point gap to the league leaders, Slot's old club Feyenoord.

On Kelleher, Slot suggested a lack of match action was the deciding factor in allowing him to leave Anfield. “Maybe a goalkeeper is an exception, but in general, I don't think it's a healthy situation for a player to be on the bench longer than a year, or miss out on many games in a year, and then go into the next season," he said.

“It's so hard for them to keep giving everything on a daily basis. So that was also one of the reasons why we thought it was best for Jarell Quansah, for Harvey Elliott to find another club.

“For Caoim, like I said, goalkeeper is a bit different, but he did this for so many years that he felt it was time for him to start playing. He's shown that he's right, because he does really well.”

It's not just Henderson's own game which has caught the eye at the Gtech Community Stadium. Speaking ahead of Saturday's game, Brentford boss Keith Andrews spoke of how Yehor Yarmoliuk's form has benefitted from his midfield partner.

"Playing alongside someone so experienced is invaluable," Andrews said. "Yehor's role has grown. He finished really well last season and this is his first real season as a starter.

"He's grasped that opportunity and I think his performances have been really outstanding. He's grown in stature on the pitch and the personality he's playing with, and he has a real understanding of the game."