Premier League: Liverpool – Sunderland, Stoke – Arsenal

Brendan Rodgers has hailed Jordan Henderson after the Liverpool midfielder’s goal sealed a second successive Barclays Premier League victory on Tuesday.

Henderson slotted in the third in the Reds’ 3-1 win at Leicester City and led them to a 1-0 success at home to Stoke City in their previous BPL encounter, with first-choice captain Steven Gerrard on the bench.

Rodgers’ side are in eighth after recovering from three defeats in a row and face Henderson’s former club Sunderland at Anfield on Saturday.

“Jordan is a very important player for us,” Rodgers said. “Everyone has seen in the last season and a half, how much his stature has grown in the team. It’s interesting how he plays off the side role that we’ve given him around the corners of midfield. His ability to run and get beyond gives him and the team a chance to get goals.

“His game is growing all the time. He’s a fantastic lad and it was a great honour for him to lead the team out against Stoke.”

‘Difficult place to go”

Arsene Wenger has urged Arsenal to continue the progress they have made.

Arsenal secured their third consecutive victory in all competitions when Alexis Sanchez’s ninth Barclays Premier League goal earned a 1-0 triumph over Southampton on Wednesday.

Arsenal now look to secure a first win at the Britannia Stadium since February 2010, and Wenger is grateful his side can head into two-week spell of four matches knowing they have qualified for the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League with a trip to Galatasaray next Tuesday.

“It is a very important period but one thing is for sure: we are not under huge pressure for game number six in the Champions League,” Wenger told arsenal.com. “At least we are not under massive pressure there so let’s focus on our next game at Stoke. It is a difficult place for us to go but let’s show there that we have improved and we can deal with it.”

Neil Warnock wants a repeat of Crystal Palace‘s display at Swansea City when they face Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on Saturday. Palace came from behind to secure a 1-1 draw at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday, but followed that up with a defeat at home to Aston Villa and are one point above the relegation zone in 15th.

Spurs lost 3-0 at Chelsea on Wednesday after beating Everton three days earlier and Warnock knows Palace will have to raise their game against Mauricio Pochettino’s men.

“They played ever so well against Everton in the last home match and 20 minutes [at Chelsea],” he said. “I don’t think 3-0 was a true reflection.

“Every game is difficult in this league and when you go to one of the top-half sides expectations are far greater with all the home teams, but we have to compete and try and give them a good game like we did at Swansea.”

Harry Redknapp believes Queens Park Rangers can draw on their fine home form this season as they face fellow promoted club Burnley at Loftus Road.

Both clubs are in the relegation zone but just six points separate the bottom nine teams, and QPR’s 11 points this season have all come at Loftus Road.

“There’s not much in it,” Redknapp said. “You look at the teams, Burnley are very much the same team [as last season], [manager] Sean [Dyche] did an amazing job with them.

“I’ve been impressed with him, he’s done a smashing job. They’ve got goals in the team with [Danny] Ings, but we’re at home and we’re very good at home.”

‘Defining month’

Steve Bruce is determined to begin a “defining month” for Hull City in style when West Bromwich Albion visit the KC Stadium. Hull ended a run of four successive defeats with a 1-1 draw at Everton on Wednesday, a result that kept the Tigers out of the bottom three on goal difference. They are a place and a point behind West Brom and Bruce is keen for his players to build on that performance at Goodison Park.

“That performance [against Everton] was a bit more like what I’ve been used to seeing over the last two-and-a-half years,” Bruce told hullcitytigers.com. “I hope that gives everybody a lift. We’ve got a huge month coming up now. For me, this is the defining month of the season.”

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