The striker completed his sensational €20 million move to Anfield from AC Milan on Monday and has been backed to make a major impact in the Premier League this season
Mario Balotelli’s arrival at Liverpool will provide the team with a “big lift”, according to midfielder Jordan Henderson.
The Merseyside club sensationally brought controversial ex-Manchester City striker Balotelli back to the Premier League from AC Milan in a €20 million deal on Monday.
Balotelli was not registered in time to feature against his former club at the Etihad Stadium later in the day, but watched from the stands as his new side were beaten 3-1 by City.
The 24-year-old met his Liverpool team-mates prior to the game, and could be in line to make his debut at Tottenham on Sunday.
And Henderson feels the Italy international will inject some extra impetus into a Liverpool attack shorn of last season’s star man Luis Suarez.
“Everyone is looking forward to working with Mario,” Henderson told the Liverpool Echo.
“He’s a very talented striker and a big player. Hopefully he’ll give us all a big lift and be able to play some part in the next game.
“He was in the dressing room before the game wishing everyone luck.
“Hopefully he can get a week’s training under his belt and be involved against Tottenham.”
Liverpool looked comfortable for much of the first half of Monday’s match, before a defensive lapse from new signing Alberto Moreno allowed Stevan Jovetic to give City the lead shortly before the break.
But Henderson was pleased with the performance as a whole and believes the Reds can take plenty of positives from the fixture.
“I thought we dominated the first 40 minutes,” he added.
“To be 1-0 down at half-time was tough to take… I felt as though we were in control of the game but then they scored a second and it was difficult.
“We will watch it all again and work on the things that need to be worked on in training.
“We’ve got the players here so it’s just a case of working on things to improve.”
