Arne Slot, it's time to put MISSING Liverpool star back in the team

It's time for Arne Slot to put one missing star back in the Liverpool team. Enough is enough.

Liverpool sunk to another defeat on Sunday as Manchester City came from behind to win 2-1. It was extra devastating as Dominik Szoboszlai's wonder goal fully deserved to earn something.

But the Reds, yet again, looked powerless to stop their opponents from controlling the game. City upped their attack after going behind and would find two goals - two well-earned goals, too.

Liverpool just weren't good enough to keep them out. Their press failed, they dropped very deep, and the midfield offered no real control.

It's a story we've seen time and time again this season. One that it's time to just put an end to.

Wataru Endo: Problem Solver

Liverpool need to secure their midfield. They also need to beef their press.

This wasn’t really an issue under Jurgen Klopp as he always had a defensive midfielder as a security measure. That was Fabinho in his greatest team - a player who sat behind two lines of the press, sweeping up anyone who managed to break through.

Liverpool do not have that anymore. In fact, their entire midfield is attacking midfielders asked to play a bit deeper. None of them are adept at breaking up play consistently behind or as part of a press.

This has made them incredibly easy to plan for. Teams know full well that going over the press or by beating one tackle, they’re assured a run at Liverpool’s back line.

So put a shield there. That shield would be Wataru Endo, the only recognised defensive midfielder in the entire squad.

Klopp used him there in his final campaign, while Arne Slot himself used Endo as a security measure at the end of games last season. Something he’s not doing this term.

But using Endo to secure the midfield is the simplest fix that Slot has not tried. Endo has just one start in the Premier League this season, playing a grand total of 107 minutes across the campaign.

The 33-year-old can provide a platform for the rest of the team to play off. He offers security to those pushing forward. But above all, his skillset is one built to fix the main problem facing this Liverpool team.

Even for just a short run, give him a chance.

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