Wataru Endo to Play Final Game for Liverpool before Asian Cup
Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo will be playing his last game for the club before leaving for the Asian Cup. The match against Newcastle on New Year’s Day will be his final appearance for Liverpool before an extended absence.
Increasing Importance for Liverpool
Endo has become increasingly important for Liverpool, especially during Alexis Mac Allister’s injury layoff. Manager Jurgen Klopp has been highly impressed with Endo’s performances.
Klopp expressed his disappointment at Endo’s departure, saying, “It’s a bit of a shame he finds his feet and now he goes to the Asian Cup.”
Mid-Season Tournaments
Liverpool will also be without Mohamed Salah, who will be participating in the Africa Cup of Nations. Salah’s time away will depend on Egypt’s success in the tournament.
On the other hand, Endo and Japan head to the Asian Cup as favorites, meaning he could be away from Liverpool for an extended period.
Potential Absence and Missed Fixtures
If Japan progresses to the later stages of the Asian Cup, Endo could miss several Liverpool fixtures:
- Last 16: Jan 28-31 – missing Chelsea (H, Jan 31)
- Quarter-finals: Feb 2-3 – missing Chelsea (H, Jan 31), Arsenal (A, Feb 4)
- Semi-finals: Feb 6-7 – missing Chelsea (H, Jan 31), Arsenal (A, Feb 4)
- Final: Feb 10 – missing Chelsea (H, Jan 31), Arsenal (A, Feb 4), Burnley (H, Feb 10)
If Liverpool advances to the fourth round of the FA Cup by beating Arsenal, Endo would also miss that fixture.
In total, Endo could miss up to eight games for Liverpool, with his potential return date being the Premier League match against Brentford on February 17.
Extended Absence for Endo
With his participation in pre-tournament training with Japan and the Asian Cup running from January 12 to February 10, Endo could be out of action for over a month and a half.
However, there is some good news for Liverpool as Mac Allister is expected to return from injury soon and may even be involved in the match against Newcastle. Klopp will need to rotate his options in midfield without Endo’s presence.
The loss of Endo will undoubtedly be a blow for Liverpool, as the £16 million signing from Stuttgart has proven to be an invaluable addition to the squad.