‘Special’ Liverpool youngster finally set for chance as Wataru Endo ruled out until 2026

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Liverpool’s injury list has gone somewhat unnoticed as fans and pundits wrestle with the question of why the Reds have fallen off so badly this season.

Perhaps it is because the biggest names have largely remained unscathed – Alisson Becker aside – but Arne Slot has had to contend with missing players on a consistent basis.

While he could hardly be described as anything like a key player having played only 43 Premier League minutes this season, Wataru Endo is a good example of someone whose absence has had a knock-on effect.

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Endo picked up an ankle injury after playing the final minutes of Liverpool‘s draw against Leeds. This, coupled with Slot’s formational change putting more emphasis on the midfield, has stretched the Reds’ options to the limit.

That is now set to continue into 2026, after Endo’s injury was revealed to be a relatively long-term problem.

Wataru Endo set to miss one month of football

With Liverpool’s new formation allowing for at least four midfielders on the pitch at any given time, Endo had a chance of featuring much more often in the coming weeks.

However, as journalist David Lynch reported on Saturday, the 32-year-old is set to be out until mid-January.

READ MORE: Alisson Becker claims Alexander Isak ‘will be okay’ as Liverpool clarify nature of injury

“It can now be exclusively revealed that Endo is set to be out mid-January at the earliest, with a return date later that month also considered a possibility,” Lynch wrote on his Substack.

“That would be among the longest lay-offs of the Japan international’s career thus far, coming close to the 50 days he missed with a hamstring injury in 2019.”

As frustrated as Slot and Endo himself will be by his layoff, it could open the door for young Trey Nyoni to finally make a proper mark on the first team.

Who will be the biggest miss for Liverpool?

The injury list is mounting ahead of next week's match…

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Liverpool set to learn whether Trey Nyoni is ready

With plenty of fixtures on the calendar to deal with, it is likely that Endo would have been used a little more by Slot over the festive period.

Instead, the Liverpool head coach will now have to look down his options, where Nyoni will stand out as the next cab off the rank.

Slot bizarrely chose to give Nyoni his Premier League debut with Liverpool hanging on against nine-man Tottenham on Saturday, and while it did not feel like the best moment to blood the 18-year-old, it did speak to the faith the Dutch coach has in him.

Liverpool fans believe Nyoni is ‘special‘ after seeing glimpses of him during the past year-and-a-half, but his best work has come in pre-season friendlies. There is no real evidence that the teenager can step up when it really matters.

Nevertheless, if Slot is to stick with his midfield-heavy tactics – and injury and absence in the forward line suggests he really has to – then we’re about to find out whether Nyoni really does have what it takes. Having been around the senior side for 18 months, the young midfielder has had to be patient, but misfortune for Endo means his real chance is finally set to arrive.