Injury Woes Continue for Liverpool as Endo Faces Extended Recovery

omidbasir- No specific timeline has been established for Wataru Endo’s recovery, though additional medical evaluations are underway. Unfortunately, he will be unavailable to manager Slot for the foreseeable future. Liverpool has faced a particularly difficult season regarding injuries, severely hindering their defense of the Premier League title.

Endo started the match at right-back during the trip to the Stadium of Light but had to leave the pitch with just over 20 minutes remaining. He sustained an injury while attempting to block a shot, landing awkwardly on his ankle. The Japanese international initially tried to continue, but after going down again, he required several minutes of treatment before being carried off on a stretcher.

In an update on Endo’s condition, Reds manager Slot stated to TNT Sports: “His injury doesn’t look good. I expect him to be out for quite a long time again. It’s commendable that despite the severity of his injury, he remained on the pitch to defend one more set piece.”

Slot further elaborated during the post-match press conference: “It’s a serious injury. We are yet to determine the full extent, and he will be assessed tomorrow. We assume he will be out for a considerable period. It’s hard to comprehend what has transpired in the right-back position.”

Following the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid, Liverpool made a significant investment to sign Netherlands international Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen. However, he has been sidelined since late January due to a groin injury.

Additionally, Conor Bradley has undergone surgery for a season-ending knee injury. Midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, who has occasionally filled in at right-back, missed the trip to Sunderland due to suspension after receiving a straight red card during Liverpool’s dramatic 2-1 loss to Manchester City.

Joe Gomez, capable of playing across the back four, replaced Endo against Sunderland and may be called upon to fill that position for the foreseeable future. Calvin Ramsay is another option, although he has only featured once for the Reds this season.

Curtis Jones, a natural midfielder, has also dropped back into defense at times, providing a more ball-playing option for Slot as Liverpool aims to maintain possession and navigate through the lines.

Slot has the opportunity to adjust his lineup for the upcoming FA Cup fourth-round clash against Brighton at Anfield on Saturday, as the team evaluates its priorities in light of their progression to the last 16 of the Champions League.

This season, Liverpool finds itself in a fierce competition for a top-four finish, with back-to-back title victories now seemingly out of reach. They currently sit sixth in the Premier League table, three points behind fourth-placed Manchester United. Slot is acutely aware of the pressure to secure qualification for elite European competition for the 2026-27 season.

Speculation suggests that failing to qualify for the Champions League could jeopardize Slot’s position, just one year after he led the team to title glory in his debut season. There have also been rumors regarding Jurgen Klopp’s potential emotional return to Merseyside, although the German has attempted to distance himself from indications that he is poised to leave his current role as Head of Global Soccer at Red Bull.