Arne Slot learns from Everton mistake as Wataru Endo wows in Liverpool v Wolves
Wataru Endo was integral to Liverpool as they earned a scrappy 2-1 victory over Wolves in the Premier League at Anfield on Sunday.
Just three days after letting a lead slip against Everton, Liverpool returned to winning ways against Wolves on 16 December, courtesy of goals from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah.
The Reds put themselves in a comfortable position after taking a two-goal lead in the first half, but found themselves in a difficult position after Matheus Cunha halved the deficit in the 67th minute.
With Wolves getting better, Arne Slot’s side had to hold on for their dear lives to claim all three points and maintain a seven-point lead atop the table.
Wataru Endo a warrior in Liverpool win v Wolves
With Salah and Diaz on the scoresheet against Wolves, one would have expected one of them to be named the fans’ player of the match.
However, it was Endo who walked away from Anfield with the award despite only coming on as a substitute with 19 minutes left on the clock.
The Japan international registered nine touches of the ball during his brief cameo and completed all five of his passes (100 per cent accuracy), including two into the final third, according to FotMob.
Endo also won three of his five ground duels (60 per cent) and attempted one tackle.
He committed two fouls during the little time he was on the pitch but also won two free-kicks for his team.
Arne Slot rights Everton mistake
It is telling that Endo was named Liverpool fans’ player of the match despite being a substitute and having little involvement in the game.
However, it was his warrior-like approach that allowed the Merseyside-based club to cling to the one-goal lead in the dying minutes of the game.
One moment that summed up the 32-year-old’s performance was when he used his body to stop Pedro Lima from getting inside the box after he had already dribbled past Andy Robertson on the left-hand side five minutes into added time.
By trusting Endo, Slot displayed his willingness to learn from his mistakes as he essentially righted a wrong that he did against Everton.
It is common knowledge by now that the Reds bottled a lead against Everton in the final seconds of their derby at Goodison Park on Wednesday, 12 February.
Endo’s performance against Wolves would have surely made Slot wonder if Liverpool would have walked away from Goodison with all three points had he brought him on to protect the lead in the final 15 minutes on Wednesday.
The game proved that the former Stuttgart start could play a vital role in the Anfield outfit‘s title race between now and the end of the season despite being on the fringes of the squad.