Some Liverpool supporters may have been concerned at the sight of Wataru Endo lining up at right-back against Sunderland on Wednesday night.
The Japanese has been used scarcely this season, and in Nilson Angulo was set to face a livewire of a left winger whose pace could cause him real problems.
As he has done for much of his career at Liverpool, though, Endo proved the doubters wrong, locking Angulo down and putting in a typically committed display to earn his team a clean sheet.
Change my mind: Liverpool would be CRAZY to let Konate leave 😣
He is back to his best!
Ibrahima Konate battles with Brian Brobbey during Liverpool's Premier League match against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light (Credit: Getty Images/Stu Forster).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Stu Forster
Sadly, the defining moment of Endo’s evening involved the medical staff as he was stretchered from the pitch after picking up a serious-looking ankle injury.
In the wake of his injury, though, Endo showed more fight and grit than any of his Liverpool teammates combined this season. The 33-year-old valiantly played on, getting up not once but twice as he helped the Reds defend a Sunderland corner. Unable to continue, Endo left the pitch in tears. But as he briefly solved Liverpool’s right-back crisis, the No. 3 showed exactly what Arne Slot’s team have recently been missing.
Wataru Endo lives up to ‘duel king’ nickname
On his arrival at Liverpool in 2023, it emerged that Endo’s nickname back in his native Japan was the ‘duel king’ owing to his ability to win his battles on the football field.
It took him a while to live up to that at Liverpool, but during his two-and-a-half years in red Endo has more than earned it.
Wataru Endo is lifted onto a stretcher after being injured during Liverpool's Premier League match against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
Photo by Alex Dodd – CameraSport via Getty Images
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Wednesday was another brilliant example of this, with statistician Michael Reid highlighting just how well Endo did in terms of winning his duels at the Stadium of Light.
“First Premier League start of the season, and Wataru Endo won the most duels of any player in the match before that injury,” Reid posted on X, noting that the Japan captain had beaten his opposite man to the ball on seven occasions.
During their struggles this season, an inability to better their opponents in duels has thoroughly plagued Liverpool. Time and again they have been second best in this most crucial of departments.
But as Endo threw himself into an unfamiliar role against the Black Cats, he gave them something they have been badly missing for a long time. What a shame we are unlikely to see him again any time soon.
Debate: Wataru Endo will leave a bigger legacy at Liverpool than Javier Mascherano
The Japanese may have played his last game for the Reds 😥
Liverpool's Wataru Endo pictured during the Premier League match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge (Credit: Getty Images/Crystal Pix/MB Media).
Javier Mascherano sits on the pitch during Liverpool's Premier League match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge (Credit: GLYN KIRK/AFP
Credit: Photo Credit: Getty Images/Crystal Pix/MB Media/Glyn Kirk/AFP
Liverpool players must match Endo’s spirit
Although it seems possible that he will not play again this season, Liverpool players have to take notes from Endo’s display against Sunderland.
Winning your battles can go a long, long way on a football pitch and there is no excuse for players as good as those within the Reds’ squad to be losing out so frequently.
He may not have the ability of some of his teammates, but Endo’s willingness to put himself on the line should be an example to everyone at Liverpool.
Until his injury, Endo had looked for all the world like the answer to Slot’s right-back crisis this season. Sadly, the sight of him being stretchered off meant the problems have now deepened even further.
But if another player is asked to step in out of position, they can draw on Endo’s performance in the North East as the absolute requirement. Committed, dutiful, dogged, whatever you want to call it, the veteran showed why those simple attributes are exactly what Liverpool need to get back to.
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