Liverpool are not controlling games the way they did last season, and Arne Slot should go back to what worked last season.
It was more late heartbreak for Liverpool on Sunday, losing in injury-time for a fourth time this season.
Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning free-kick gave his side a brief lead, but the game was flipped on its head soon after with Liverpool leaving 2-1 losers.
Hear me out: Dominik Szoboszlai is the best free-kick taker in Liverpool history
If he isn't, who is?
Last season, Slot would have brought on a controlling presence after Liverpool went up. No longer.
Arne Slot not using Wataru Endo to see through games
Wataru Endo has seen his role shrink considerably this season. He made 20 appearances last campaign, 19 as a substitute. It was usually when Liverpool were up.
But the manager doesn’t seem to trust him anymore. He makes the odd cameo, but nowhere close to the frequency with which he was relied upon during Liverpool’s title run.
The 33-year-old may have just dropped off, but he could have taken some of the sting out of City’s attack on Sunday evening. Even to come on as a right-back and allow Szoboszlai to push up into the midfield.
A more experienced head in the back line, Endo might have recognised the danger and not played Bernardo Silva onside for the leveller.
Endo has played just 107 league minutes this season. He clearly isn’t in the picture anymore.
But Liverpool are letting leads what feels like every week, and a presence like Endo’s is worth trying when we’re leading games.
Endo to leave Liverpool in the summer
A summer exit looks increasingly likely, with Endo frustrated over a lack of game time.
Slot doesn’t trust him like he did last season. A departure feels like the best move for both parties.
You’ve got £80m to fix Liverpool’s midfield this summer, who are you buying?
Endo played an important role as a squad player during the Premier League title win, and he endeared himself to the fans along the way.
Whether you agree with it or not, though, he seems to be out of the picture at Anfield.
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