Arne Slot has lauded helped Liverpool secure a 1-0 victory against Crystal Palace.
Despite limited game time in the , with only a few minutes under his belt from the 2-0 triumph over Brentford back in August, stepped up once again during the dying moments at Selhurst Park, .
Endo, who captains Japan, was summoned in the six minutes of stoppage time as Liverpool dug deep to claim the three points.
has been notably impressed with Endo's attitude despite his peripheral role so far, commending the ex-Stuttgart player for his positive approach amid scant playing time.
"I think that is one of the most positive things about this team," Slot remarked on Endo's situation post-match, highlighting the significance of his contribution even in a short span, which was underscored by decisive early strike.
"Even if a player comes in for five or seven minutes, such a big player - someone who is captain of their country - comes in five minutes before the end. Sometimes, at certain clubs, other teams, I see a player coming in [unhappy] 'you only use me for five minutes?'
"But if you looked at how good Wata was with the ball but also the second balls he won, he had only in these minutes a very good impact and that tells you a lot about the team cohesion but definitely also about the person in this situation that Wata only played five minutes that said a lot about him as a person but a lot about the team cohesion as well."
Liverpool have been nothing short of a defensive fortress, having let in only two goals across seven fixtures, attributes Slot credits to a unified team display all over the pitch.
Slot further commented on the delicate balance his squad displayed, saying: "There is a lot that goes into it and a lot to tell you to give you a good answer, but one of the things you saw today was how much we controlled the first 60 and then we had 15 or 20 minutes that was difficult, and then in the last 10 we took control again."
"We took control by having a good build-up and that helps to tire the opponents and the other team because they have to run a lot, they have to defend a lot to make it difficult for us. And then the work rate our attackers put in is also extraordinary, that combination with a few other things - because it is also the quality of the centre-backs and the goalkeeper - leads to so many clean sheets."
Liverpool.com says: Although he has fallen down the pecking order this season, Endo remains a reliable presence for Liverpool. He doesn't look like he will get many minutes in the Premier League with shining in midfield, but he will still have an important role to play, especially if the Reds find themselves in a similar situation to the one at Palace.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can read the original story in the Liverpool ECHO by clicking .
