Slot has a new unsellable star at Liverpool & it’s not Van Dijk or Salah

Liverpool know the way to win. Rivals may not prefer it, however Arne Slot has created one of the best workforce in England this season, and top-of-the-line throughout the continent.

Latest victories over Champions League rivals Paris Saint-Germain and Southampton within the Premier League have underpinned the brilliance of this Merseyside outfit, able to successful in numerous methods, protean to the nth diploma.

So then, what makes this Liverpool facet so good? It is the plain route, certain, however you’d have to start out with the superstars.

The numbers behind Liverpool’s title cost

Slot is an elite degree unto himself, however he is actually been helped by the staggering high quality of a few of Liverpool’s most interesting.

The place to start out however with Mohamed Salah, whose attacking greatness has seen him chalk up 32 targets and 22 assists throughout all competitions, break incalculable information.

Salah is the offensive poster boy and rightly so, however he is no extra influential than his skipper, Virgil van Dijk.

The towering Dutchman is actually redoubtable, fusing inimitable defensive talent with supreme management and crowd pleasing distribution. Van Dijk is each bit as necessary as his flashier peer, so necessary in making certain Liverpool push ahead.

Together with Trent Alexander-Arnold, these gamers are into the ultimate few months of their careers on Merseyside, and whereas sporting director Richard Hughes is combating for them to place pen to paper, the longer term is unsure and worrying.

They’re every of them unsellable, untouchable pillars of Anfield’s infrastructure. After all, that is redundant, for every can depart in the event that they so want.

Nevertheless, they are not the one untouchables in Slot’s squad, with one shock determine incomes that standing together with his performances this season.

Liverpool’s unlikely untouchable star

Not everybody in Liverpool’s first workforce begins each week, however every participant has a job. For instance, Darwin Nunez would possibly reportedly be up on the market and struggling to hit the anticipated heights, however he is nonetheless popped up with some massive moments, contributing towards the multi-front title cost.

Likewise, Harvey Elliott, 21, has been angered by his lack of sport time this time period however stays some of the gifted younger playmakers within the enterprise, underscoring his worth by netting an unimaginable winner in Paris final week.

Nevertheless, equally to Nunez, Elliott is allegedly needed by a number of golf equipment and FSG might financial institution a reasonably penny by promoting him. Each gamers might be offered this summer season, albeit followers can be dismayed on the 21-year-old’s playmaker’s departure.

However there’s one other older fringe participant in Slot’s squad who has established himself as an unsellable a part of the workforce. His identify is Wataru Endo.

The 32-year-old midfielder is approaching the tip of his second season on Merseyside, having gained one title up to now and accomplished 68 appearances, scoring two targets and registering one help.

The Japan captain struggled to win Slot over throughout the opening months of the Premier League marketing campaign, solely enjoying 20 minutes throughout six matches earlier than Christmas. Nevertheless, he is change into a daily function in latest months, instrumental in protecting Liverpool afloat as they chase down a number of main honours.

That stated, Endo has been used prominently throughout home cup competitions, showcasing his worth by finishing 91% of his passes within the Carabao Cup, additionally averaging two tackles per sport and successful 63% of his duels, as per Sofascore. His efforts have been key as Liverpool put together for the ultimate towards Newcastle United this weekend.

Although he hasn’t began a single Premier League match in 2024/25, Endo has been a core a part of Slot’s plans, hailed as a “pink machine” by talkSPORT’s Steve Hothersall.

Latest weeks have seen him hit a brand new degree of appreciation on the membership. Liverpool have gained every of the 5 fixtures listed under, in no small half right down to Endo’s combative late injection.

Remarkably, Endo hasn’t misplaced a single go over his previous 5 appearances in all competitions, so underrated in his potential to sluggish video games down and guarantee Liverpool have management and composure within the dying embers.

He is the proper shop-shutter. As per FBref, the 32-year-old ranks among the many high 8% of midfielders throughout Europe’s high 5 leagues for go completion, the highest 15% for tackles, the highest 20% for interceptions, the highest 13% for blocks and the highest 18% for clearances per 90.

Such impactful late-stage shows have seen Endo domesticate a cult hero standing from these of a Liverpool persuasion. He’s adored.

How curious that Liverpool have been met with derision when buying him from Stuttgart for £16m in August 2023, mocked for lacking out on Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo to Chelsea. Nicely, Endo bested Chelsea’s crop in final season’s Carabao Cup closing and is now heading for a Premier League title and maybe even extra.

Drafted in by Jurgen Klopp as a stop-gap choice at quantity six, Endo has proved himself as a priceless a part of Liverpool’s workforce.

As per Soccer Transfers, the tough-tackling midfielder is valued at simply £11m. The place can be the worth in promoting him, particularly when he brings one thing totally different, nearly diametrically against Ryan Gravenberch as a quantity 6.

Certainly, this participant’s worth is discovered on the pitch. When you listen you will see. We’re deep into the second half, and there he’s. Bib off, jogtrot down the sideline, after which he is unleashed to an uproarious Anfield crowd, who enjoyment of his defensive impression.

Truthful play to Salah and Van Dijk, they’re two of the best gamers of their era. However honest play to Endo. Klopp noticed one thing on this industrious athlete, who’s now invaluable because the Premier League title attracts close to.