Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson has hailed Steven Gerrard as the "perfect captain" and revealed that he is trying to learn as much as possible from the long-serving skipper.
Henderson is currently the vice-captain and favourite to get the armband on a permanent basis when Gerrard leaves Anfield at the end of the season, although he has stressed that he is not guaranteed the job.
The 24-year-old revealed that he had been trying to pick up tips from Gerrard since being appointed his second-in-command at the beginning of the season, including being more motivated by the failures than the successes.
"Stevie's the perfect captain really. He's a leader on and off the field. He's someone we all look up to. He always puts the team first. He's very unselfish," Henderson told the club's official magazine.
"When I became vice-captain, I tried to learn as much from him as I could. The thing I've probably learnt most from Stevie is the way he overcomes the disappointments. I think that defines you more than anything.
"I can relate to it. If I look back to my first season here, it wasn't easy. But it made me stronger. I always think of losing the FA Cup [final to Chelsea] rather than winning the League Cup. Setbacks like that inspire you to want more - to progress and to win."
Henderson has contributed five goals and 11 assists for Liverpool this season.
Barney Corkhill
