The Croatia international put in an impressive performance alongside centre-back partner Mamadou Sakho in the 1-1 draw against Borussia Dortmund in Germany to give his side a chance of progress in next week’s Europa League quarter-final second leg.
That was despite walking the disciplinary tightrope of knowing a booking would have ruled him out of what is likely to be a highly-charged return at Anfield.
It was arguably one of the 26-year-old’s best performances for the club since arriving in the summer of 2014, having struggled to reproduce the form he showed for Southampton prior to his £20million move.
During his settling-in process Lovren was prone to the odd error or miscalculation and at times he looked timid and reticent and, as a result, failed to dominate opponents.
However, having helped keep Dortmund’s attacking three of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marco Reus – with 75 goals between them this season – quiet while avoiding any damaging caution showed a maturity befitting of the European occasion.
“It was difficult for me because I want to play every game but when you think about bookings you will get a booking,” he said.
“So I didn’t think about it, I just concentrated on the my game and my defensive things and it was okay.
“I will do everything for my team but I think I have learned from my mistakes, I think I am a little bit cleverer now. I am more experienced today.”
Henderson picked up the injury moments before half-time in Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Dortmund. He was replaced by Joe Allen at the break.
According to the BBC, he will miss six to eight weeks, thus putting his earliest possible return date as 19th May. Our final league match is away to West Brom on the 15th. He would also miss the Europa League final, which has been scheduled for 18th May in Basel.
It also puts in position in Roy Hodgson’s European Championship squad into serious doubt. Henderson started six of the ten qualifiers, but the England boss has previously gone on record to claim that he wouldn’t take players who were not fully fit. “I wouldn’t be happy to really take players with us in the hope that they will become fit during the tournament,” he said. England start their tournament against Russia on 11th June.
It marks the end of what has been a miserable season for the skipper – he has only started 15 league matches and missed three months in late 2015 with a heel injury.
The only positive news is that it is thought surgery will not be required.
