There were certainly rumbles of discontent when Jordan Henderson was named in Liverpool's starting XI to face Napoli.Henderson can often be a divisive figure amongst Liverpool fans and many supporters thought players like Naby Keita, Xherdan Shaqiri and Fabinho were more deserving of a start. Fans are well aware of Henderson's quality on his day, but the England midfielder has experienced some tumultuous form in recent weeks.The 28-year-old was dismissed for two yellow cards during the victory at Watford, before delivering a disappointing performance in the loss to Paris Saint-Germain.Many fans feel Henderson is guilty of playing it safe throughout matches and tweets about him passing it sideways or backwards are guaranteed during quiet displays.
Liverpool 1-0 Napoli
Against Napoli, however, that certainly wasn't the case and the general reaction to his showing took a dramatic shift during the second-half.
It was a crucial win for Liverpool, with Mohamed Salah settling the nerves with a first-half goal and Alisson Becker saving the day with a dramatic late stop.
Nevertheless, it was Henderson who played a major role in Liverpool's sound performance and of all things, his play going forward was attracting praise.
Reaction to Henderson's display
Many Twitter users thought Henderson was doing the exact opposite of what he's usually criticised for by delivering incisive passes into the final third and marauding forward himself.
He created a number of opportunities against the Italians, resisted the safest passes and even mixed it up with a few long-range strikes.
As a result, Henderson received the praise he deserved across Twitter and the pick of the reaction can be seen down below:
Henderson can be treated harshly on occasions, so it's good to see him appreciated after a decent showing.
The performance also serves as a reminder of the ex-Sunderland man's quality going forward and especially with Georginio Wijnaldum and James Milner providing protection.
It doesn't completely neutralise the more questionable outings this month but it adds to the brilliant midfield headache on Klopp's mind right now.
And Liverpool fans are more than aware of the impact Henderson made in the Champions League last season, so he could be a major asset going into the knockout rounds.
Even for those still asking questions, though, his performance allows Klopp to rotate the midfield ahead of a massive clash with Manchester United.
There seems an infinite number of ways Liverpool could line up against their historic rivals and any combination in the centre of the park poses problems.
On paper, Henderson wouldn't be near the top of the list but as last night showed, never write him off.
Do you think Henderson should start vs United? Have your say in the comments section below.