With Arsenal going through a tricky midweek journey to Nottingham Forest, the Reds knew they might have an opportunity to tug additional clear within the Premier League title race with a victory.
Liverpool supporters reacted to the Arsenal result with a song at Anfield, and there may be now actual perception that that is their yr.
If the Reds do go on to carry the trophy in entrance of their followers in Could, the likes of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk would be the ones getting a lot of the reward, and rightly so.
However this might be a trophy for the entire Liverpool squad, everybody has contributed. One who has actually stepped up of late has been Wataru Endo. And after seeing the Japanese put in one other glorious cameo in opposition to Newcastle, Arne Slot singled him out as soon as once more.
Arne Slot pays homage to ‘particular’ Wataru Endo
Rewind to the summer time switch window and it had felt very probably that Endo could be offered. Having didn’t impress Slot in pre-season, it was clear the Liverpool head coach wished a special profile.
Nonetheless, because the months have gone on, Slot has started to appreciate Endo, commonly bringing him off the bench to assist Liverpool see wins over the road.
That was his job as soon as once more on Wednesday, and – as standard – the 32-year-old did it to perfection through the closing 13 minutes.
Requested about Endo in his post-match press convention, Slot was eager to level out what makes his No.3 such a ‘particular’ particular person to have across the squad.
“I admire him quite a bit as a soccer participant but in addition as a human being,” mentioned the Dutchman. “As a result of regardless of what number of minutes the staff wants him [for], he all the time exhibits up.”
“The rationale why he all the time exhibits up – and that’s what makes him particular, and I’ve mentioned it just a few occasions earlier than – is gamers, and I’ve labored with many who have been in an identical state of affairs like him, don’t all the time discover the power to coach nicely the day after a recreation after they didn’t have enjoying time or two days after a recreation.
“But it surely doesn’t matter which day of the week it’s or if he has performed, he all the time provides his greatest in each coaching session and, because of that, each time the staff wants him he exhibits up. That’s an enormous praise for him, that he brings performances in like he did right now.”
Endo earns Slot’s belief
There are clearly players in the Liverpool squad who Slot does not trust to make an impression throughout Premier League video games.
Though he might have belonged to this group earlier within the season, Endo has fought his approach out.
| Minutes Performed | Correct Passes | Clearances | Interceptions | Touches | |
| Wataru Endo vs Newcastle | 13 | 16/16 | 1 | 1 | 18 |
Slot highlighted Endo as someone Darwin Nunez can learn from after complaining concerning the Uruguayan’s latest angle throughout matches. It’s apparent simply how extremely the 46-year-old charges him.
And why not? He might not possess the standard of a Ryan Gravenberch or an Alexis Mac Allister, however Endo has confirmed himself time after time this season.
It stays to be seen whether or not Wata has a future at Anfield past this season. However even when he goes after two years a Purple, he has made positive he’ll all the time have a spot in Liverpool supporters’ hearts.