Liverpool ace who won 100% ground duels must not be sold

Liverpool defeated Southampton in the Carabao Cup to advance to the semi-finals, and though Arne Slot’s side made short work of the lowly top-flight strugglers over the opening half, Cameron Archer’s curling strike after the interval raised the south coast side’s belief as the rain lashed down at St. Mary’s.

It was a bit of a mishmash team, assembled on the night to give the heavy-hitting superstars a day off ahead of Liverpool’s crunch Premier League meeting with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.

Slot, who was banished to the shadows of the stands as he served a touchline ban for an accumulation of yellow cards, will have been delighted after Darwin Nunez dispatched past Alex McCarthy following excellent work by Trent Alexander-Arnold from deep.

And again when Harvey Elliott calmly finished on the edge of the area to double the visitors’ lead, collecting from Cody Gakpo and establishing firm authority against the rudderless Saints.

Indeed, it didn’t turn out to be smooth sailing, but Liverpool got the job done and now await the draw for their opponents at the penultimate stage.

How Liverpool performed vs Southampton

Archer’s goal changed the mood, as goals do, but it’s clear that Slot’s half-time substitutions, taking both Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez off, had a negative effect too.

In fairness, it was probably the correct move with Tottenham the weekend’s destination, but Jarell Quansah didn’t look wholly convincing and the midfield pairing of Trey Nyoni and Tyler Morton gave Liverpool an unexperienced feel. Teenagers Jayden Danns and James McConnell were both introduced during the second half too.

Albeit, the youngsters did well. Moreover, they were helped by a talented attacking line that was charged by Alexis Mac Allister, who started in an advanced role but was taking off after an hour.

The Athletic’s Gregg Evans hailed Liverpool for “showing how adaptable they are” under their Dutch coach’s management, with the much-changed side maintaining fluency and discipline throughout.

One player who will certianly be happy with their performance was the already-mentioned Nunez, with his goal setting the tone.

He’s faced his detractors throughout his Liverpool career, but Nunez showed that he can lead the line with authority. He attempted four dribbles, unleashed four shots and won three duels, as per Sofascore. It was by no means a perfect performance but signs of life were on show from the Uruguayan, who now has four goals and three assists across 21 matches.

It’s not the perfect tally but he’s beginning to look somewhat respectable alongside his clinical peers, as you can see from the table below.

Despite all this, he left plenty to be desired on the field. That said, Nunez did enough to prove that he deserves a place in Slot’s first-team squad, bringing energy and electricity to the final third.

Noise has bounced around Merseyside regarding the 25-year-old’s future, but he should stay. And so too should Wataru Endo, who stole the show in a moonlit role for Liverpool on the south coast.

Wataru Endo proved his worth

Endo has scarcely played for Liverpool this season, starting all three Carabao Cup matches but making only cameos off the bench across eight games in the Premier League and Champions League.

His limited technical quality on the ball has seen him run counter to the stylistic preference of his boss, but then Endo still manages to do a job and proved Slot’s – and his – powers of adaptability with a Man of the Match performance against Southampton, and at centre-back at that.

He played a sort of hybrid role that saw him occupy the left-sided centre-back spot next to Quansah, but Endo drifted upfield on several occasions to compact the Liverpool centre and allow the likes of Nyoni and Elliott more space and freedom.

Nyoni, 17 and completing his first senior start, didn’t do much of note but caught the eye with his confident passing and well-positioned collections. Had Endo put in a lesser display on the south coast, he might have found his footing harder to establish.

The Japan star has truly been an indispensable option for Liverpool since joining as a stop-gap option in 2023. Klopp had missed out on Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo, who both signed for Chelsea, and eyebrows were raised when he then deposited £16m for the experienced Stuttgart six.

Not only did he triumph across all eight of his ground duels, but the 101-touch titan didn’t commit a foul despite winning four tackles and making two interceptions and clearances apiece.

He’s diminutive in the central defensive area, especially so alongside the 6 foot 5 Quansah, but he maintained an air of strength and size against the likes of the hulking Paul Onuachu, notably catching the eye when winning an aerial battle against the Nigerian striker.

According to reporter David Lynch, Endo has actually been one of the more expendable members of Liverpool’s first-team this season, with the sense that FSG are not done with the midfield recruitments only strengthening that claim. Now, though, it’s patent that Endo brings something crucial to the Liverpool campaign, even though his style might seem somewhat incongruous within the tactical set-up.

The 31-year-old isn’t playing a big part of Slot’s season, per se, but then he’s proving to be a core member of the Carabao Cup campaign while providing steely relief for the Reds in the closing stages of matches that require defensive duties to preserve a lead.

Selling him would actually be a bit ludicrous, for the Japan international is a significant member of the squad and is sure to be an important, result-defining presence.

Endo has been one of the shrewdest Liverpool signings in recent memory, and there are signs that his finest contributions may yet lie ahead.