Wataru Endo celebrates as Liverpool are crowned Premier League champions
Wataru Endo celebrates as Liverpool are crowned Premier League champions
It became one of the hallmarks of Liverpool's emphatic Premier League title triumph. Even if it meant Wataru Endo acquiring a cult status no footballer truly wants.
As the Reds romped to a record-equalling 20th title, Endo gained a reputation as the new James Milner of the squad - that is, an experienced midfielder often introduced to help see out three points.
The statistics are particularly telling. Japan national team captain Endo was brought off the bench on 19 occasions - exactly half of the games - in the Premier League campaign.
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Of those, 16 were when Liverpool were leading, with all bar two seeing him introduced after the 70th minute. Indeed, nine were from the 85th minute onwards.
The Reds went on to win each time, although at home to West Ham United in April it needed a late Virgil van Dijk winner after Arne Slot's side shipped an equaliser in the closing moments.
It was after Endo's impressively aggressive cameo in the 1-0 win at Crystal Palace in October - only his second league outing of the season - that Slot was moved to praise the 32-year-old.
"If you look at how Wata came in now, how good he was on the ball but also the second balls that he won, he had only in these seven minutes a very good impact," said the Liverpool head coach. "I think that tells you a lot about team cohesion, but definitely also about the person."
So began the reputation that ended with Endo becoming renowned as Liverpool's 'closer', the player to shut matters down with the job almost done.
Any frustration on Endo's part would be understandable. Having started 20 Premier League games last season, his only such nod this time around came after the title was won in the 3-1 defeat at Chelsea in early May.
Instead, his full outings were restricted to one in the Champions League, two in the FA Cup and three in the League Cup, while also playing more than an hour from the bench in the League Cup semi-final first leg at Tottenham Hotspur. That was one of three outings at centre-back, highlighting Endo's versatility.
Despite the lack of minutes, Endo made clear his future intentions last month when declaring: “I believe that focusing on how many titles I can win with Liverpool will be the best thing in my career."
With changes in midfield personnel imminent, it may be more difficult than ever for Endo to earn regular minutes at Liverpool. But if the Japan international has proven anything during his Anfield career, it's that he's ready to play his part - no matter how brief.