Liverpool striker Divock Origi is set to grace the Anfield pitch for the final time as a Reds player on Sunday afternoon against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Belgian striker, who has spent the past eight years on Merseyside, will leave the club at the end of this season, having scored 41 times in 175 appearances in all competitions. While Origi failed to be the club’s first choice central striker, the forward has scored a number of crucial goals for Jurgen Klopp’s side, including one in the 2019 Champions League final win over Tottenham Hotspur and a double in the previous round of that competition against Barcelona.
Jordan Henderson, who has been the Reds’ skipper since the start of the 2015/16 season following Steven Gerrard’s exit, has played in 93 of Origi’s Liverpool appearances. And he's has called onthe Liverpool fans to give Origi a special send off in the Reds’ final league game of the season at home to Wolves.
“It looks like today will be Divock’s last at Anfield for Liverpool so I hope he gets the kind of send-off he deserves,” Henderson penned in Liverpool’s match programme ahead of facing Wolves. “Actually I know that he will because he has been such a special player for us, but he is also an incredible person who has taken this city and its people to his heart.
“His legacy will be his achievements for this club, but it will also be the good causes he has supported, like the local students he is helping to put through university.
“Today should be a celebration no matter what happens and as club captain I will certainly be celebrating Divock and wishing him all the best for the future. The big fella deserves nothing less.”
Where will Divock Origi be playing his football next season? Have your say on the debate in the comments section.
The game itself has the potential to be a Premier League title decider as the Reds chase a second Premier League trophy in the space of three seasons. Winning the trophy is however out of their hands, with Liverpool currently sat second and a point behind City going into Sunday’s final day of the season.
To win the title, Klopp’s side need to win at home to Wolves and hope that Manchester City fail to win at the Etihad Stadium against Aston Villa, who are managed by Liverpool legend Gerrard.
In an incredibly unlikely set of circumstances, Liverpool could also win the league title without winning and only drawing in their clash with Wolves. To do so, if they drew, City would have to lost to Villa by seven or more goals.
Liverpool star Mohammed Salah has already lost out to title-chasing rivals City this weekend and to their star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian playmaker was named as the Premier League’s Player of the Season for a second time ahead of Salah, despite Salah leading both the scoring and assist charts in this season’s Premier League.
If Salah stayed top of both charts, he would join an elite club of players to win both awards in the same season. Tottenham Hotspur striker and England captain Harry Kane joined the exclusive last season.
Saturday’s award announcements have been a double celebration for the Reds’ title rivals Man City. De Bruyne’s teammate Phil Foden was named as the Premier League’s Young Player of the Season for a second campaign running on Saturday morning.
