IT WAS JUST LIKE A BREAK-UP WHEN I LEFT LIVERPOOL ... REALLY PAINFUL

Henderson reveals his heartache at Anfield departure. He couldn't even watch them play when he was in Saudi

- BY JOHN CROSS Chief Football Writer X@johncrossmirror

JORDAN HENDERSON has admitted leaving Liverpool was so painful it felt like a breakup.

And Henderson revealed he was so hurt by the whole experience he could not even bear to watch Liverpool's matches afterwards.

The England midfielder, 35, caused major shockwaves when he left Anfield two years ago to join Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq.

Within six months, though, he had quit for Dutch giants Ajax and is now back in English football with Brentford.

Former Liverpool captain Henderson enjoyed an incredible 12 years at Anfield, where he won the Premier League title and Champions League, and found the split the hardest time of his career.

"It was a really tough period when I left Liverpool, I was there for a long period of time," said Henderson.

"Leaving Liverpool itself was huge and really difficult and, at any point, was going to be hard because it had been my life for so long. And then it is just gone like that... so I have struggled for a period after that.