Jurgen Klopp singled out one ‘outstanding’ Liverpool player for praise following the 2-0 win over Sheffield United on Wednesday night.
Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai grabbed the goals which secured our first away victory in the Premier League since mid-September, but the manager was keen to highlight the contribution of one player who’s not as prominent in this morning’s headlines.
Speaking on Amazon Prime Video Sport, the Reds boss sang the praises of one of the Hungarian’s midfield colleagues, gushing: “Wataru Endo – wow! He was outstanding. He was everywhere. He really helped us a lot.”
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Handed a third Premier League start off the back of his crucial late goal against Fulham last weekend, Endo was something of an unsung hero for Liverpool at Bramall Lane.
He won nine of his 14 duels against Sheffield United along with making two tackles and two clearances, as well as completing 55 of his 69 passes (80% success rate), as he kept the Reds ticking over with a tidy yet largely unheralded display at the base of midfield (Sofascore).
Aside from one needless yellow card for a mistimed lunge on Andre Brooks in the first half, the Japan captain gave a commendable performance, and he seems to be growing in confidence and assuredness with each passing appearance.
The selflessness and industry of Endo is something that his teammates, and especially Klopp, will hugely appreciate.
Even if the 30-year-old continues to be only a sporadic starter at Liverpool, everyone within the dressing room will surely recognise his value to the group, and how vital his contributions could be over the course of a hectic season.