Arne Slot confirms that the Japan international will miss substantial period as Reds prepare for Brighton FA Cup tie this weekend
Wataru Endo will be sidelined for a considerable period of time after suffering a foot injury during Liverpool‘s midweek match against Sunderland, coach Arne Slot confirmed on Friday.
The Japanese midfielder was stretchered off at the Stadium of Light and now faces an extended absence that will span well beyond this weekend’s FA Cup clash with Brighton.
Speaking at the AXA Training Centre, Slot didn’t minimise the severity of Endo‘s condition while acknowledging the club still needs to complete medical assessments to determine the full extent of the damage.
“A foot injury. We still need to do some assessments but it’s clear and obvious that he will be out for quite a long time,” Slot said.
The timing couldn’t be worse for Endo, who has struggled for playing time this season despite his contract running until June 2027.
The former Stuttgart midfielder has made just 12 appearances across all competitions, with only three starts and 455 minutes on the pitch.
Before the Sunderland match, he’d barely featured in Premier League action, making his injury during one of his rare opportunities particularly cruel.
Endo was deployed out of position at right-back against Sunderland yet still won more duels than any other player on the pitch before the injury occurred.
His mentality showed through when he remained on the field briefly after the initial knock to defend a corner kick before eventually requiring a stretcher to leave the stadium.
🚨 Aston Villa injury update
Unai Emery suffers defensive setback ahead of Newcastle FA Cup clash.https://t.co/JXUulpNBCF #AVFC #NUFC #FPL #FACup
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Defensive depth tested by multiple absences
Slot emphasised Endo’s versatility when discussing the impact of losing him for an extended period. The midfielder’s ability to fill in at centre-back or in midfield made him a valuable squad option even when not starting regularly.
“Don’t forget he is a good centre-back and midfielder, too, and it is not as though positions… we’re quite vulnerable there as well,” Slot noted.
Liverpool will indeed face challenges managing their squad depth. The club will be without Alexander Isak, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Jeremie Frimpong for the Brighton fixture. That list of absences stretches resources across multiple positions, forcing Slot to rely on players returning from their own injury issues.
Joe Gomez represents one such returning player. He came on for Endo at the Stadium of Light after recovering from his own injury that saw him limp off against Bournemouth last month. Gomez could start at full-back against Brighton, giving Liverpool an experienced option despite his recent fitness concerns.
Dominik Szoboszlai provides positive news after serving a one-game suspension against Sunderland and he could be an option to fill in at right-back along with fellow midfielder Curtis Jones.
Where is Calvin Ramsay?
Calvin Ramsay is the only natural right-back at the club who is available, and the mystery continues as to why Slot refuses to give him a chance given that he has six players in his position who are all out.
Slot indicated in last press conference that Ramsay’s inclusion would not solve the situation: “In general, if you don’t win a game, the players who are not playing become the best in the squad,” Slot said when asked about Ramsay.
“If the players are not winning, the manager could have always better chosen another one. This is an example of that as well. I just want to protect all my players.”