Arne Slot raves about ‘special’ Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo | OneFootball

Arne Slot has showered heaps of praise on Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo ahead of their Premier clash against Aston Villa.

The Reds are unbeaten in their last 21 games in the Premier League and they could go ten points clear at the top of the table, although Arsenal will have a game in hand.

This has been a tough season for Endo who hasn’t been used frequently by Slot.

Endo was signed by Jurgen Klopp in the summer of 2023, and featured heavily in his first season.

However, the Japan international has dropped down the pecking order under Slot who prefers a different type of holding midfielder. A reason why Ryan Gravenberch has played regularly this season, and he has been simply outstanding.

Gravenberch has started in 34 games in all competitions so far, and there is a fear that he might fade away if he does not get enough rest.

That is why Slot will probably look to use Endo wisely and rotate his midfield to give Gravenberch and other midfielders some rest as we gradually approach the business end of the season.

The Dutch boss has hailed Endo as “special” saying he contributes everytime he comes on to the pitch.

He said ahead of the game: “I think Wata has been really useful for us this season. It’s not always a matter of how many minutes you play, you can be very important in two minutes and less important in 90 minutes.

“What makes Wata special, in my opinion, is every time we have to rely on him – if it’s five, 10, 20 or 25 minutes – he shows up. That sounds much more simple than it is because if a player has hardly had a lot of playing time then to be mentally so strong that if the team needs you, you can bring your best performance in – that is not always easy.”

Endo is unlikely to start unless Gravenberch gets injured. With Liverpool also out of the FA Cup, his chances of starting games are slim.

Having said that, depending on the scoreline or position in a match, Slot can easily take off one midfielder and bring Endo in there. In that way, he can maintain a fine balance.