Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool are set to receive one piece of good news today in the wake of the galling 3-1 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday.
As reported by David Lynch via X (and TIA): “Wataru Endo is set to provide a timely boost to the Liverpool squad by reporting back from international duty today.”
Wataru Endo is set to provide a timely boost to the Liverpool squad by reporting back from international duty today.https://t.co/5WouHuqd0rhttps://t.co/5WouHuqd0r
— David Lynch (@dmlynchlfc) February 5, 2024
The midfielder had been absent for recent fixtures due to his involvement with Japan at the Asian Cup, but their quarter-final elimination by Iran on Saturday has now freed him up to return to Merseyside.
The 30-year-old will have his fitness assessed over the coming days and will hopefully partake in full training ahead of the Premier League clash against Burnley next weekend.
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Endo mightn’t come straight back into the Liverpool line-up if Klopp decides to persist with Alexis Mac Allister – whose performance at Arsenal was one of the few positives from yesterday – at the base of midfield.
However, the Japan captain’s return this week is still a welcome boost, with the Reds having nearly a full week to prepare for their next two games before a hectic period of nine matches in 30 days, when squad rotation will be essential.
The preparation time for the Burnley and Brentford fixtures will give the 30-year-old plenty of scope to maintain fitness while having ample periods for recovery prior to the congested sequence of fixtures thereafter.
Whenever Endo is back in action for Liverpool, let’s hope he can pick up where he left off in terms of his performance levels, having enjoyed a tremendous run of form towards the backend of 2023 prior to his Asian Cup involvement.
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