Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson says he is looking forward to leading Brendan Rodgers' charges out this season, with the opening weekend of the Premier League campaign rapidly approaching. 

The 24-year-old was appointed the Reds' new skipper earlier this month, succeeding Steven Gerrard as the man with the armband, and has already led his side to three straight pre-season victories.

But though he is relishing the opportunity to try and spearhead the young Liverpool side towards the top-four this season, Henderson insisted he also wants to do things his own way as a leader.

Henderson hoping to take responsibility as skipper

Speaking to LFCTV on the Reds' pre-season tour, he said: "I am taking more responsibility on as much as I can.

"I'm just trying to help all of the lads, including the new lads and also the younger lads, settle in as well as they can here. 

"I do think that I have got a role to play in terms of helping them adjust and making them feel welcome.

"But I'll just try to go about my business in the same way on the pitch, by trying to continue putting in good performances for the team."

Henderson, who learned plenty about leadership under the wing of Gerrard over the last year as vice-captain, has already taken to his new role and its duties.

But he is adamant that he will not be looking to copy those who have had the armband before him.

He said: "I feel as though there's a responsibility for me to make them [the new signings] feel as welcome as possible. 

"Whether that be off the pitch or on it, training and in the games, I want to try and create a good atmosphere amongst the lads.

"I have got a big part to play in that as the captain."

Henderson took the armband numerous times last year, filling in for Gerrard - and insisted that those experiences give him confidence that he can fulfil the permanent role with similar aplomb.

"It doesn't feel normal, because I am not used to being captain of such a big club, but at the same time I learned a lot from when Stevie was here," Henderson added.

"Last season when he was out of the team, I had a good experience of trying to lead the team as best I could when he wasn't there."

Henderson hoping to "grow into" captaincy

He added that the experience helped him a lot and that he will do his utmost best to "lead by example" to his team-mates, though in a different style to his predecessor.

"I'm still pretty young so I am just trying to find my own way of doing things," he stated.

"I don't want to do what Stevie did when he was here or even any of the other captains I've worked under [in my career].

"I want to have my own sort of style and my own ideas for the team.

"Hopefully I will just grow into the role, and then as time goes on, I'll be more experienced and maybe do different things.

"My main focus is on the football side of the pitch and in the dressing room, making sure them things are right and the other things I can gradually look to improve on."

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About the author
Charlie Malam
Digital Sports Writer at the Daily Express. First-class Staffordshire University Sports Journalism graduate. Formerly VAVEL UK's Liverpool FC editor and Deputy Editor-in-Chief. Contributor since June 2014.