Paul Parker: Jordan Henderson isn't fit to lace Kevin de Bruyne's boots
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Updated 26/07/2020 at 21:52 GMT+1
Jordan Henderson beat Kevin de Bruyne to the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year – it is a decision that befuddles Paul Parker.
Manchester City's Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne looks on during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Liverpool
Image credit: Getty Images
A lot of the press will have been pushing for Henderson because it’s Liverpool.
But at the end of the day he can’t lace De Bruyne’s boots as a footballer. If people want to give it to someone because he’s a good leader – a word that’s almost as common now as calling someone a legend – then Henderson is the pick. But the game is about footballers and De Bruyne is a proper footballer.
He is not a stats player. He tries, he improvises, he looks for match-winning passes and doesn’t play the simple square or backward pass. He is a European version of Paul Scholes.
He has been the most consistent player for Manchester City, their standout player.
As much as people want to talk about Raheem Sterling, he takes a lower stage to what De Bruyne has done. De Bruyne is involved in everything. If he is not playing for City in big games then they have problems.
There isn’t a better crosser than him in the Premier League. Liverpool fans will shout out about Trent Alexander-Arnold, but De Bruyne is more consistent with his crosses. He doesn’t just put it in, he puts it in unbelievable areas on a consistent basis.
He should win the Players’ Player of the Year award now because I think players appreciate a player like him, the way he plays, his whole manner and everything about him. The Players’ Player of the Year award is made for someone like him.
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United's propensity to fail
Manchester United not taking their opportunity and only drawing 1-1 with West Ham in midweek doesn’t surprise me. Now their Champions League hopes are really in the balance going into the final game against Leicester.
They always seem to fail when given an opportunity to get in there with the big boys. When it needs that mentality and strong personality they haven’t got that one person to take them into that area and get more out of them to make sure they are in there, and then cement that place.
They haven’t done it and I am sure there are a lot of United fans who are worried now. Can they sit there and see the game out for a draw? What do United do if they go behind because they haven’t performed very well in the last few games?
Leicester played well at Spurs - the scoreline flattered Spurs - and had enough of the ball to do something with it. If it happens against Manchester United surely they won’t pass up the opportunity.
I am sure Jamie Vardy will be looking at his old team-mate Harry Maguire and fancying himself strongly against him. He will either look to capitalise on his lack of pace or to bully Victor Lindelof.
They will have to be very wary of Leicester, who are a decent team. Is the Brendan Rodgers curse of being nearly there and failing going to happen again?
Tiredness is an easy excuse for United. You get 1-0 up and playing well and everybody forgets tiredness. If they were to qualify for the Champions League and had to play a game next week they would all be ready to play in that. Fitness and everything else is also in the head, it’s mind over matter, and the problem is too many people keep telling players they are tired all the time. I am not buying into that. If they weren’t playing they would be training so it’s not that different.
Can United get the front three playing well? They haven’t been playing well together, they have been playing as individuals. They need to connect as a unit and share the workload and score for the team.
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