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Liverpool fans are currently fuming on X (formerly Twitter) after Jurgen Klopp dropped new signing Wataru Endo from the starting XI. The Reds are set to face Aston Villa at Anfield later today (September 3).
Liverpool have made a decent start to their 2023-24 Premier League season. After drawing 1-1 against Chelsea away, they have followed up with back-to-back wins against Bournemouth and Newcastle United, despite being down to 10 men during both games.
Jurgen Klopp and Co. are currently fifth in the standings with seven points and will be aiming to ride their momentum against Unai Emery's Aston Villa. The Villans are currently eighth with six points.
Alisson Becker starts in goal. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip, and Andrew Robertson make up the defense. Ibrahima Konate misses out due to a muscle injury, while Virgil van Dijk is suspended due to his red card against Newcastle last week.
Klopp has opted to start Alexis Mac Allister as the team's No. 6 today with Wataru Endo being dropped to the bench. Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones start head of him in the midfield.
Luis Diaz, Mohamed Salah, and Darwin Nunez complete the starting XI with the latter being given the chance to impress after scoring a brace last week.
Liverpool fans were livid as Endo failed to make the starting XI after making his full club debut just last week against Newcastle. The Japan skipper is the Reds' only senior traditional No. 6 in the squad after being signed from VfB Stuttgart on August 18.
Some of their reactions can be viewed below:
Liverpool currently have a statistical advantage over Aston Villa. The Reds have won nine out of their last 11 games against them and are the slight favorites to claim all three points today.
"We will work on that" - Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits Wataru Endo needs time to improve
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp recently admitted Wataru Endo needs time in order to adjust to Premier League football. These comments have come to light after the 30-year-old was dropped from the starting XI to face Aston Villa later today.
The Reds signed Endo to replace Fabinho and Jordan Henderson as the club's central defensive midfielder. The Japan skipper signed a four-year deal with the club on August 18 for a reported transfer fee of £16.25 million.
He made his debut against Bournemouth, coming on as a second-half substitute when Liverpool were down to 10 men. Endo then made his full debut the following week in a 2-1 win against Newcastle.
Klopp admitted he has held private meetings with Endo regarding his positional awareness. He said (via This is Anfield):
“For Endo it is a massive step and change in the way he used to play so that needs a bit of time to get there but it is no problem. We are a counter-pressing team still with all the possession and stuff, and that means you have to be in specific positions. And you can see in moments where he is slightly too deep."
He added:
“I’ve had meetings with him and we will work on that. He wants to do it 100 per cent right, and you can see in training when the spaces are smaller, he is a machine.”
Endo will be looking to make an impact as a substitute against Aston Villa to force his way back into the starting XI.
