Liverpool might make a statement this afternoon by defeating Brighton & Hove Albion, after they lost their opening game of the season to Tottenham Hotspur in a contentious Premier League match last week.
After the Seagulls suffered a crushing 6-1 loss at Aston Villa last weekend, Jurgen Klopp lamented the chaotic officiating that kept Liverpool from overtaking Manchester City for the top spot. However, he will now be fully focused on taking advantage of the Seagulls’ own problems.
Liverpool, despite dealing with multiple absences, will be optimistic that their renewed energy will be sufficient to win three points on the south coast.
What’s new with the Liverpool team?
Liverpool will be without both Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones after their red cards at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Jota scored in the Europa League midweek against Union Saint-Gilloise.
Speaking of absent goal scorers, Cody Gakpo, who scored a goal before halftime to tie the score against Spurs, is anticipated to remain out until after the international break.
The Dutchman narrows Klopp’s options in the midfield for the match at the AMEX Stadium by being sidelined alongside Thiago Alcantara and his youthful Spanish colleague Stefan Bajcetic.
Nevertheless, after recovering from a hamstring injury, Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to make his first Premier League start in more than a month, which might provide the winning spark.
Why ought Wataru Endo to start for Liverpool?
Wataru Endo is another player whose early involvement would be wise in limiting Brighton’s danger. The hard-working midfielder has been a part of Liverpool’s starting lineup since joining for about £16 million in August from German club Stuttgart.
Jones has been improving greatly in 2023 and has solidified a starting position for himself, but the Scouser will need to be replaced for the next three Premier League games after receiving red in London.
Endo, a thirty-year-old calm and collected center presence, may not be the most technically skilled but he can fill in well in the middle and could be the missing piece that allows players like Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister to thrive.
While Endo could be the best choice for the holding role later today, Ryan Gravenberch, who has been outstanding since signing in the summer, will be looking for his first start in the English premier league.
Although Endo’s performance against a fluid opponent was demonstrated in the Carabao Cup triumph against Leicester City, there will undoubtedly be more difficult tests ahead. However, given Brighton’s exceptional ball-playing style, having Endo as the midfield anchor could be crucial.
Given that Albion has completed 4169 passes this season—more than Liverpool (3793)—and the fact that the Reds have completed the fourth-highest number of passes overall, Roberto De Zerbi will undoubtedly try to impede the Reds’ progress.
The Japan star ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for aerial wins and the top 15% for clearances per 90, according to FBref, so the home team will have its work cut out for them given Endo’s strength in the center.
Bundesliga pundit Kevin Thatchard has called the £50k-per-week star a “proper warrior and leader,” and he might be the difference-maker for Klopp’s team as they look to go back to winning ways by using his mettle to sink the Seagulls.