In their first match since being confirmed as Premier League champions, ending a 30-year wait for a top-flight title, Liverpool were thrashed 4-0 by the previous season’s winners.
City scored through Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden and an Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain own goal, capitalising on the Reds’ poor defending and early profligacy in clinical fashion.
However, Liverpool captain Henderson hoped such a loss could help his side moving forward.
“We are not making any excuses,” he told the club’s official website. “We are bitterly disappointed and we expect more from ourselves.
“But it can be a lesson for us going forward if we want to improve and keep contending for trophies and being in the run-in for the title next season and other competitions as well.
“We need to keep going, keep improving and keep learning. This is a learning curve, so we need to react the right way in the next game.”
Asked what had gone wrong for Jurgen Klopp’s side, Henderson replied: “A lot of things but, to be fair, I thought we kept going right until the very end.
“You’ve got to give credit to City, a fantastic side, and they finished their chances off. We are bitterly disappointed and, after the game, the lads are very disappointed with the result, as we should be.
“On another night, I’d like to think we can finish our chances and it would change the game, but unfortunately it wasn’t to be and you’ve got to give credit to City.”
Before thinking about continuing their battle with City next season, though, Liverpool must face Aston Villa on Sunday.
Henderson added: “It’s never nice to lose games. We need to show our character and, again, react in the right way.
“The next game is Sunday, so it comes thick and fast, and we need to be ready and keep going. We still want to finish the season off on a high. We’ve still got six games left, so we want to go out there and perform.”
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