Just over 18 months ago, Endo captained Stuttgart to a 6-1 aggregate victory against Hamburg in the relegation playoffs to keep their place in the Bundesliga.
It capped off a roller-coaster season for the midfielder, leading Japan on an unprecedented run to the World Cup knockouts in Qatar.
Upon Arne Slot’s appointment, however, Endo found himself surplus to requirements, with the Dutchman opting for the deep-lying playmaker profile in Ryan Gravenberch, instead of Jurgen Klopp’s ‘destroyer’.
Persistent Endo still has much to offer Slot
Fast forward six months and the Japanese veteran produced a battling performance from centre half against Southampton, as Liverpool progressed to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
If he was supposed to be out of place in Slot’s revitalised squad, he certainly didn’t show it that night.
He has relied on his experience and versatility to guide the likes of Tyler Morton and Trey Nyoni through the fledgling stages of the competition.
Against the Saints, he won 8/8 of his ground duels, as well as all four of his tackles in a Liverpool side whose personnel was ever-changing.
With the festive fixtures coming thick and fast, Endo will likely be called upon again.
The Reds’ two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final against Spurs, FA Cup opener against Accrington Stanley, and the final two games of the Champions League ‘league phase’ (Lille and PSV) will certainly require the steadfastness of Endo to avoid any potential upsets.
Other key players will also need to be allowed time to recover, which is why it’s important that those who undoubtedly enter the fray are ready to step up.
Enigmatic Elliott will cause problems for opposition
Returning from a foot injury sustained in September, Harvey Elliott’s first start of the season was a Man-of-the-Match display that saw him score the winning goal against Southampton.
While Elliott started the game on the right-hand side, he often drifted more centrally into the half spaces, akin to a number 10.
In his press conference following the win, Slot joked that Elliott “almost got a bit bored” playing out wide, hence his tactical tweak that ultimately paid dividends.
On the rare occasion when talisman Mohamed Salah occupies the bench, alongside Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones, last season was proof that Elliott is more than capable of turning a game on its head.
Gomez's versatility invaluable to Liverpool
A Liverpool defence without Virgil van Dijk is immediately noticeable and considering the spotty injury record of Ibrahima Konate, like his predecessor, Slot has turned to Joe Gomez.
Capable of playing across all four positions in the back line, Gomez has deputised for Konate, producing stellar performances against Man City and Spurs.
Gomez is currently Liverpool's longest-serving player and despite a move to Newcastle that fell through over the summer, his commitment is unwavering.
Gomez has also stayed injury-free since the start of the season, which serves as a deserved break for a player who has suffered his fair share of serious setbacks.
Chiesa yet to announce himself to Anfield
Another player looking to overcome a major setback is Federico Chiesa, Slot’s first and only Liverpool signing to date.
The Italian winger enjoyed a promising 45 minutes on Wednesday but will want to make a more lasting impact in his debut season with the Reds.
Chiesa was left out against Spurs as a precautionary measure, rather than an injury that fans would have feared.
However, Slot understands the importance of managing his game time carefully, given that he has only played 120 minutes of professional football this season, coupled with the lack of a pre-season.
A fully fit Chiesa will only add more potency to Liverpool's attack and he may yet have some bearing on Liverpool’s fortunes this season.
Quiet determinism the key to success for Slot's Reds
Jurgen Klopp bemoaned the departure of Premier League stalwart James Milner 18 months ago, recognising that his professionalism makes him a dying breed in the modern game.
What he maybe didn’t count on was the quiet determinism of Wataru Endo filling the void Milner has left.
In many ways, it can be likened to the impact of Slot himself at Anfield: professional and exemplary.
As long as the Liverpool squad follow in Endo’s footsteps and ignore the outside noise, be it transfer speculation or the burden of being title favourites, it would be brazen to bet against Slot’s side failing to achieve at least one major honour this season.