Jurgen Klopp knows Liverpool had lucky escape after missing out on desperate transfer and saving £42m
Wataru Endo will be a big miss for Liverpool when he departs for the Asian Cup after the Reds’ meeting with Newcastle United on New Year’s Day.
Eyebrows were inevitably raised when Jurgen Klopp signed the lesser-known 30-year-old from VfB Stuttgart in a £16.2m deal back in August, after missing out on both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea and losing both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to unexpected interest from Saudi Arabia. A slow start to life in the Premier League did nothing to silence the scrutiny surrounding the Japan international.
Of course, Endo wasn’t the only midfielder feeling the pressure at Anfield, with question marks also hanging over Alexis Mac Allister’s head as Klopp continued to utilise the Argentine as a holding midfielder. But since the November international break, both players have demonstrated the method in the madness.
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Mac Allister put in an impressive performance at number six away at Man City five weeks ago as Liverpool fought out a 1-1 draw at the Etihad, before scoring a spectacular maiden goal for the Reds the following week in a rollercoaster 4-3 victory over Fulham. Finding his feet in a previously unfamiliar position, a leg injury suffered against Sheffield United then stopped the 25-year-old in his tracks, though he could return against Newcastle after making a comeback in team training earlier this week.
But in the World Cup winner’s absence, Endo has shone in recent weeks. Also scoring his first Premier League goal for Liverpool against the Cottagers, he has since started the Reds’ last
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