Henderson Keeps Liverpool Soaring High

Jordan Henderson’s fortuitous goal earned Liverpool a 1-0 win at Swansea on Monday as they moved within two points of fourth-placed Manchester United ahead of an eagerly-anticipated showdown against their bitter rivals.
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Henderson scored for a third successive Premier League game to make it five successive top-flight victories for Brendan Rodgers’ team as their charge for the Champions League continues to gather pace.
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Yet there was more than a stroke of luck about Henderson’s second-half winner after Swansea defender Jordi Amat’s attempted clearance ricocheted off the onrushing Liverpool midfielder and looped over goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.
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That will be of little concern to Liverpool’s former Swansea manager Rodgers on what was a happy return to the Liberty Stadium that means his team can leapfrog old foes United should they defeat them at Anfield on Sunday.
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They certainly have momentum following what has been a remarkable turnaround in recent months following a sluggish start and that this was a sixth successive away clean sheet for the first time since 1972 merely added gloss.
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The result was harsh on a Swansea side who had already defeated Arsenal and United at home this term, yet they were ultimately left to rue a series of first-half missed chances.
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There was no place for Mario Balotelli in the Liverpool squad due to illness, while Steven Gerrard – available for the first time since February 10 following a hamstring problem – had to settle for coming on as a second-half substitute.
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One player who did make the starting line-ups, however, was Swansea forward Bafetimbi Gomis, who was declared fit 12 days after collapsing on the pitch during the loss at Tottenham.
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The France international showed no signs of any ill-affects from his recent scare and he was denied a 21st-minute opener when he headed Wayne Routledge’s cross goalwards only for Martin Skrtel to clear off the line.