Liverpool Midfielder Now A Doubt For Chelsea Clash After Missing International Match

Wataru Endo could potentially miss the game between Liverpool and Chelsea this weekend after suffering an apparent injury.

The Japanese international did play for his country against Saudi Arabia last Thursday but he was absent from the matchday squad for the 1-1 draw versus Australia on Tuesday night.

Endo’s no-show is significant as he is Japan’s captain so he would have only missed the game due to a major fitness issue.

It means that he is now a doubt for Liverpool’s next fixture against the Blues on Sunday evening.

Endo is not a key player for Slot

The 31-year-old was unlikely to be in the starting lineup for the match at Anfield this weekend anyway. He has been given only two brief cameo appearances in the Premier League by head coach Arne Slot this season.

Endo’s only start has come in the Carabao Cup, when he played 82 minutes against West Ham in the 5-1 win last month.

A Liverpool injury update

The Reds have had some positive news on the injury front heading into the Chelsea game. Alexis Mac Allister is back to full fitness, having started Argentina’s 6-0 win over Bolivia. The midfielder had been sidelined with a muscular problem but he played 66 minutes on Tuesday before being substituted. He should have no issues starting on Sunday.

Caomhin Kelleher is also in contention after having missed the last fixture against Crystal Palace due to a virus. The Irishman played in both of his country’s matches during the international break.

There are doubts over the fitness of Federico Chiesa, who missed the Bologna and Palace fixtures with a knock, while Harvey Elliott (foot) and Alisson Becker (hamstring) have already been ruled out. The latter won’t return to action before late November at the earliest.

Find out who is in Liverpool’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here

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David Tully

David Tully

David has worked as a football reporter for the last fifteen years. Having started as an intern at Snack Media, he then went on to become a freelancer, working on various different sites. At the start of 2023, he took up his current role as content writer for National World's Football News Network.