Jordan Henderson: 'Steven Gerrard is the perfect captain'

Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson has hailed Steven Gerrard as the "perfect captain" and revealed that he is trying to learn as much as possible from the long-serving skipper.

Henderson is currently the vice-captain and favourite to get the armband on a permanent basis when Gerrard leaves Anfield at the end of the season, although he has stressed that he is not guaranteed the job.

The 24-year-old revealed that he had been trying to pick up tips from Gerrard since being appointed his second-in-command at the beginning of the season, including being more motivated by the failures than the successes.

"Stevie's the perfect captain really. He's a leader on and off the field. He's someone we all look up to. He always puts the team first. He's very unselfish," Henderson told the club's official magazine.

"When I became vice-captain, I tried to learn as much from him as I could. The thing I've probably learnt most from Stevie is the way he overcomes the disappointments. I think that defines you more than anything.

"I can relate to it. If I look back to my first season here, it wasn't easy. But it made me stronger. I always think of losing the FA Cup [final to Chelsea] rather than winning the League Cup. Setbacks like that inspire you to want more - to progress and to win."

Henderson has contributed five goals and 11 assists for Liverpool this season.