Jordan Henderson Laughs Off Anfield Boos After 492 Games for Liverpool

• Jordan Henderson, 36, was booed by Liverpool fans on his first Anfield visit as a Chelsea player, per Daily Mail.
• He picked up the ball after a first-half penalty, walked to the spot, smiled at the jeers and passed it to Morgan Rogers.
• Henderson scored his own kick down the middle in the shootout, but Liverpool won the Carabao Cup last-16 tie 6-5 on penalties.

The Penalty Walk, the Row With Van Dijk and a Crowd That Split

Jordan Henderson picked up the ball, walked about 15 yards to the penalty spot at Anfield and smiled while Liverpool supporters jeered him. Chelsea had just won a first-half penalty in the Carabao Cup last 16, and as his teammates discussed who would take it, Henderson looked set to step up himself. He laughed, looked back at the crowd and handed the ball to Morgan Rogers, who scored. Fans reacted on social media to the 36-year-old’s first visit to the ground as a Chelsea player.

A Night of Boos, Banter and a Shouting Match

Henderson played the full 90 minutes, and the home crowd booed him every time he touched the ball. The noise grew when Ryan Gravenberch fouled Moises Caicedo to give Chelsea the penalty. Not every supporter joined in, as some fans gave the former Liverpool captain a warm reception.

Two fans put it in their own words. One wrote: “The way Henderson is smiling like a villain as they boo him is sending me man”. Another posted: “Henderson is such a troll lol. Chelsea have a pen, the Liverpool fans been whistling him all game and he wanna take the pen.”

Henderson does not wear the Chelsea armband, which belongs to Caicedo, but he regularly spoke with referee Darren England. Early in the first half, he and Virgil van Dijk each argued their case in one discussion with England. As they walked away, the two shouted at each other from a distance. Van Dijk is Liverpool’s current captain, and the pair spent five years as teammates.

Rogers beat Giorgi Mamardashvili to open the scoring. Minutes later Wesley Fofana handled a corner in the box while up against Van Dijk, and Cody Gakpo sent Mike Penders the wrong way from the spot to make it 1-1.

Henderson Answers From the Spot, Then Applauds the Crowd

The tie went to penalties, and Henderson took Chelsea’s fifth kick needing a goal to keep the contest alive. He struck it right down the middle. Liverpool went on to win when Joe Gomez scored and Fofana sent his effort over the bar, which put the Reds into the quarter-finals.

At the final whistle Henderson appeared to applaud the crowd that had jeered him, and he was seen laughing and joking with Van Dijk. Van Dijk, who said this week that nobody can replicate Salah, was the other half of that moment.

A Different Welcome at the End of Last Season

Henderson made 492 appearances for Liverpool, won eight trophies in 12 years and left for Al-Ettifaq in the summer of 2023. This summer the club ranked him its 25th-greatest player of all time. He has played for Ajax and Brentford in recent years, and he signed for Chelsea this summer from Brentford.

The mood was warmer when he returned to Anfield with Brentford at the end of last season. He received a warm reception and a standing ovation when he was substituted in the second half. Afterwards he wrote on social media: “I’d like to thank the Liverpool fans for the reception they gave me yesterday.” He added: “It meant a lot to me going back to Anfield and being able to say thank you for everything you gave me in my 12 years at the club. It’s a feeling that I’ll never forget.”

His message also named two former teammates, with Henderson writing that it was “special” to see “Mo [Salah] and Robbo [Andy Robertson], say goodbye and get the send-off they deserve”. Salah’s exit from Liverpool ended in a move to Trabzonspor.

Chelsea host Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Liverpool are through to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after a night that began with boos for a former captain. Henderson leaves Anfield having scored a penalty down the middle, appeared to applaud the supporters who booed him and shared a laugh with Van Dijk.

WRITTEN BY

George Howson

George Howson is a Futbol Chronicle contributor and accredited journalist with over 20 years of experience following international football. A member of the AIPS International Sports Press Association, George has covered matches at stadiums around the world, bringing deep knowledge and first-hand insight to every match report and analysis he writes.

More articles by George Howson →