Henderson may feel a tinge of regret as he watches Reds' chase for 4 trophies

Jordan Henderson has spent this week trying to plot the downfall of one Premier League club when he should really be trying to win the thing with another.

The former England captain is attempting to propel Ajax, one of Europe’s giants, towards their 11th continental title. Meanwhile Liverpool, the club he left in an ill-advised switch to the Saudi Pro League, are chasing four trophies this season. They take on Aston Villa for a place in the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League, with the first leg in Holland on Thursday.

Publicly, Henderson would doubtless make all the right noises about his career choices since last summer. Yet privately, he would not be human if he did not have even a tinge of regret when he looks at how Liverpool’s spectacular season is unfolding.

When Henderson left Anfield to move to Al-Ettifaq last summer, it was not solely because of the £700,000 weekly salary on offer. The 33-year-old did not believe he would feature regularly in Jurgen Klopp’s reconfigured midfield this term and did not want to finish his time on Merseyside as an also-ran.

Yet Liverpool have suffered so many injury problems this season that Henderson would surely have played his part. Think of the recent run of matches, when Klopp has used a number of academy products because of the absence of several first-teamers.

What better player than Henderson, such a natural leader, to guide the youngsters through those games? And after Liverpool overcame Chelsea in the Carabao Cup Final in February, he would now have another medal to add to his collection.

By leaving Al-Ettifaq only six months and 17 games after joining, Henderson admitted he had made a huge error. Not even such fabulous wages could compensate for the loss of