Liverpool Defeated Southampton In the Carabao Cup to qualify for the semi-finals, though Arnie slotNew Zealand made short work of the top-flight strugglers during the first half, and Cameron Archer's strike after the break lifted the South Coast side's confidence as rain fell on St Mary's.
It was a bit of a mixed team, assembled on the night to give the superstars a day off before Liverpool's crisis Premier League Meet with Tottenham Hotspur Sunday afternoon.
Slott, who was banished to the shadows of the stands while suspended from the touchline for accumulating yellow cards, will be happy afterwards. Darwin Nunez It was sent to Alex McCarthy after the excellent work he did Trent Alexander Arnold From the depth.
And again when Harvey Elliott He finished calmly on the edge of the area to double the visitors' lead, collecting from Cody Steele And establish firm authority against the rudderless saints.
In fact, it was not easy, but Liverpool accomplished the task and now await the draw of their opponents in the penultimate stage.
Liverpool's performance against Southampton
Archer's goal changed the mood, as goals do, but Slott's first-half substitutions, with both Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez off, clearly had a negative impact as well.
In fairness, it may have been the right move for Spurs at the weekend, but Jarrell Quansah did not look entirely convincing, and the midfield pairing of Trey Nyonyi and Tyler Morton gave Liverpool a feeling of inexperience. Teenagers Jayden Danz and James McConnell were introduced during the second half as well.
Although the youngsters performed well. Furthermore, they were helped by a talented attacking line loaded by Alexis McAllister, who started in an advanced role but came off after the hour.
Athlete Greg Evans Liverpool were hailed as having “shown how adaptable they are” under their Dutch coach, as the much-changed side maintained fluency and discipline throughout.
One player who will certainly be pleased with their performance is the already mentioned Nunez, as it was his goal that set the tone.
He has had his critics throughout his Liverpool career, but Nunez has shown he can lead the line strongly. He attempted four dribbles, fired four shots, and won three duels. According to Sovascor. It was by no means a perfect performance, but signs of life were showing from the Uruguayan, as he now is Four goals and three assists Through 21 matches.
It's not an ideal result, but it's starting to look fairly respectable alongside its clinical peers, as you can see from the table below.
Despite all this, he left a lot to be desired on the pitch. However, Nunez has done enough to prove that he deserves a place in Slot's first team, bringing energy and electricity to the final third.
The hype has bounced around Merseyside regarding the 25-year-old's future, but he should stay. And so it should be Wataru Endowho stole the show in a moonlit role for Liverpool on the south coast.
Wataru Endo has proven his worth
Endo rarely played for Liverpool this season. Starting all three Carabao Cup matches But he only made eight substitute appearances in the Premier League and Champions League.
His limited technical quality on the ball has put him at odds with his boss's stylistic preferences, but then Endo is still able to do his job and has demonstrated Slot's ability – and ability – to adapt to a man-of-the-match performance against Southampton, and a centre-back at that.
He played a hybrid role that saw him occupy the left centre-back position next to Quansah, but Ndou drifted forward on several occasions to press Liverpool's midfield and allow the likes of Nyonyi and Elliott more space and freedom.
Nyonyi, a 17-year-old who made his first start for the first team, has not attracted much attention but has caught the eye with his confident passing and neat combinations. Had Endo bid less on the south coast, he may have found it difficult to establish himself.
The Japanese star has truly been an indispensable option for Liverpool since joining as a temporary option in 2023. Klopp missed out on Romeo Lavia and Moses Caicedo, who signed for Chelsea, raising eyebrows. When he then deposited £16 million Stuttgart's experienced six.
Not only did he win all eight of his ground duels, but the 101-touchdown giant did not commit a single foul despite winning four tackles, making two interceptions and making two clears.
He is undersized in central defense, especially next to the 6-foot-5 Kwansah, but he maintained an air of strength and size against the likes of the massive Paul Onuachu, particularly turning heads when winning an aerial battle against the Nigerian striker.
According to reporter David LynchEndo has actually been one of the most expendable members of Liverpool's first team this season, with the feeling that FSG are not done with their midfield appointments only to bolster that claim. Now, though, it is clear that Endo brings something crucial to Liverpool's campaign, even though his style may appear somewhat out of proportion within the tactical set-up.
The 31-year-old is not playing big Part of Slott's season, in his own right, but he has since proven to be a key member of the Carabao Cup campaign while providing solid relief for the Reds in the latter stages of games that require defensive duties to maintain the lead.
Selling him would be a bit ironic, as the Japan international is an important member of the squad and would certainly be an important and result-determining presence.
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Endo has been one of Liverpool's smartest players in recent memory, and there are signs that his best contributions may be yet to come.
