Former PL midfielder turned pundit Robbie Earle has admitted that he had been wrong to judge the caliber of Liverpool star Wataru Endo.
The Reds secured a 2-1 victory against Brighton last evening in the PL which saw them rising to the top of the points table.
The hosts were put under the pressure as Danny Welbeck scored at the second minute of the game, putting Brighton at the driver’s seat.
But the pressure was soon released as Luis Diaz equalised in the 27th minute. But the waves of attack were relentless from the Seagulls.
However, the match-defining moment came at the 65th minute when Mohamed Salah finished a beautifully crafted attack.
This victory meant the Merseysiders had accumulated 67 points in 29 matches, two points clear off of second-placed Arsenal and three points clear off of third-placed Manchester City.
This lead would definitely help them in the title race as they progress forward.
Robbie Earle Praises Wataru Endo
Even though the whole team played exceptionally well and some shone brighter than others, a player who has again gone unnoticed is Wataru Endo.
The Japanese skipper put in an quiet but convincing display last evening with 2 tackles, 2 interceptions and a pass completion rate of 94% (stats via WhoScored).
A certain Robbie Earle was doubtful about Endo’s quality when he joined the Anfield giants last summer.
However, in the recent episode of The 2 Robbies, Earle took his words back and praised the midfielder. He stated,
“I’m going to hold my hands up with Endo in midfield, who I wasn’t sure would have the athletic ability to hold that number six role for a Liverpool team that, at times, are going to push people forward, I’ve got to hold my hands up, I’ve been wrong.
His football IQ’s much better than I thought. His positional play gets around dangerous areas. He’s not the quickest, and he isn’t the best athlete. But he isn’t half a great footballer, and an intelligent footballer, knows where to be.
And his kind of control in front of the backline is allowing Mac Allister to go and do the things that we used to see at Brighton, the things where he was freer, where he could go and make and score and assist and probe.
And all of a sudden, that is absolutely another option that makes Liverpool a massive threat in any game.”
The defensive-midfielder was unheard of prior to his £16M summer transfer and his move raised many questions.
But Endo’s recent performances have convinced the doubtful minds that he is capable of doing the necessary job. His input would be very useful in the title pursuit.
