Henderson targets peak fitness at Euros

England midfielder Jordan Henderson is hoping his injury problems are behind him, as he bids to return to peak fitness for Euro 2016.

The Liverpool captain has endured an injury-ravaged season on Merseyside, with a fractured metatarsal, an ankle injury, and, latterly, a knee problem forcing him to miss large chunks of the campaign.

The 25-year-old returned from his latest injury setback as a second-half substitute during Liverpool’s final Premier League game of the season against West Brom, before playing the final 25 minutes of England’s 2-1 friendly success over Turkey at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Henderson will now be hoping to get more playing time under his belt in the Three Lions’ next Euro 2016 warm-up match against Australia at the Stadium of Light on Friday, as he bids to get back to his best ahead of the finals.

He told reporters: “It’s been a difficult season personally but hopefully, touch wood, I can concentrate on playing football and staying injury free, and playing how I know I can to help the team do well at the tournament.”

The former Sunderland player admits it has been a difficult season for him on a personal level, but he hopes that he can emerge from the setbacks as a better player. He continued: “It’s been the hardest season of my career so far but you’ve got to go through that, before that I was quite lucky and didn’t really have any bad ones.

Hopefully I’m stronger for it hopefully I can stay injury free and get back to my best.” England will kick-off their Euro 2016 campaign against Russia at the Stade Velodrome on June 11 and they are available at 2.00 to win the match, while the Russians are on offer at 4.00 and the draw is priced at 3.20.