Liverpool’s season has taken another painful turn, and this time the problem is one that is starting to feel almost unbelievable even to their own supporters. What was meant to be a routine Premier League night against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light has instead become another chapter in a growing injury nightmare that refuses to slow down. When Wataru Endo was carried off the pitch on a stretcher in the second half, hands covering his face and pain written clearly across his body language, it felt like the moment many Liverpool fans feared had finally arrived. Another body down. Another emergency. Another problem added to an already overflowing list for Arne Slot.
According to the Evening Standard, Liverpool’s defensive injury crisis has now deepened to a level that is starting to affect not just selection choices, but the identity of the team itself. Endo, a player who was never meant to be anywhere near the right-back position in the first place, had been drafted in out of pure necessity. The fact that he was even starting there tells its own story. The fact that he could not finish the match, and had to be stretched off after a horrible fall, tells a much darker one.
From the opening minutes at the Stadium of Light, it was clear that this was not going to be an easy evening. Sunderland, full of belief and energy, pressed aggressively and made life uncomfortable for Liverpool’s makeshift defence. Every time the ball went wide to Endo’s side, there was a sharp intake of breath from Liverpool supporters watching on. Not because Endo was playing badly, but because everyone knew the situation. This was not his position. This was a temporary fix. And temporary fixes, in football, often come with a price.
The Reds have been dealing with injury problems all season, but the right-back position has become the epicentre of the crisis. Arne Slot arrived at Liverpool with ideas, structure, and a clear vision of how he wanted his team to play. What he did not arrive with was a full squad capable of staying fit long enough to carry out that vision. One by one, his options have disappeared, forcing him into decisions that no manager wants to make.
Jeremie Frimpong, the club’s first-choice right-back, has been sidelined with injury. Conor Bradley, who had impressed whenever called upon, is also unavailable. The usual deputies, Joe Gomez and Dominik Szoboszlai, were not options either. Gomez, still recovering from his own injury setback, was not deemed match fit. Szoboszlai, who has filled in at right-back this season in a tactical reshuffle, was suspended. That left Slot staring at his squad list with very few answers.
Curtis Jones has already been used in that position earlier in the campaign, another example of how desperate the situation has become. Against Sunderland, Endo became the seventh different Liverpool player to start at right-back this season. Seven. That number alone explains everything. It tells a story of disruption, improvisation, and survival rather than stability and planning.
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Endo approached the task with professionalism and courage. From the first whistle, he worked hard, tracked runners, and tried to keep things simple. But football can be cruel, especially when players are pushed beyond their natural roles. Just over 20 minutes from time, that cruelty revealed itself.
The incident itself was sickening to watch. Endo went to ground in awkward fashion after a challenge near the touchline. There was no dramatic collision, no reckless tackle from an opponent. Instead, it was the kind of moment players fear most, where the body twists in a way it was never meant to. Immediately, Endo stayed down. The reaction from those around him said everything. Teammates waved urgently to the bench. The crowd fell into an uneasy silence.
Medical staff rushed onto the pitch, and it quickly became clear that this was serious. Endo was visibly in agony, clutching his leg, grimacing with every movement. The medics worked carefully, applying an inflatable brace to his left leg to stabilize the injury before attempting to move him. These are the moments that strip football of all its noise and drama, leaving only concern and empathy behind.
When the stretcher finally arrived, there was no attempt from Endo to stand. He was lifted carefully, slowly, and carried off the pitch to applause from all sides of the stadium. Even Sunderland supporters joined in, recognising the seriousness of the moment. It was football unity at its purest and saddest.
Joe Gomez replaced him, forced into action earlier than planned, despite not being fully match ready. Another emergency decision. Another compromise.
For Arne Slot, standing on the touchline watching Endo disappear down the tunnel, it must have felt like a cruel joke. Just when he thought the injury situation could not get worse, it did. Again. This season has already tested his adaptability, patience, and mental strength in ways few new managers experience so quickly.
The problems extend far beyond one injury. Liverpool’s campaign has been repeatedly disrupted by physical setbacks to key players. Club-record signing Alexander Isak has barely featured, missing most of the season through a series of issues, the most recent being a broken leg that sidelined him at a critical moment. Another summer arrival, young defender Giovanni Leoni, suffered the heartbreak of rupturing his ACL on his debut, a devastating blow for both player and club.
These are not minor injuries to fringe players. These are central figures in Slot’s plans, removed before those plans ever had a chance to fully take shape. Each absence forces a reshuffle. Each reshuffle increases risk. And eventually, as the Endo incident shows, that risk can turn into reality.
The right-back role has become symbolic of Liverpool’s wider struggle. It is no longer about who is best for the position, but who is simply available. Tactical consistency becomes impossible when players are learning roles on the fly. Chemistry suffers. Confidence dips. And opponents sense vulnerability.
Against Sunderland, Liverpool were not just fighting the opposition. They were fighting exhaustion, uncertainty, and the weight of a season that seems determined to pile pressure onto every decision. Every sprint from Endo down the flank carried danger, not just from Sunderland attackers, but from the physical strain of playing outside his comfort zone.
Endo’s injury now raises serious questions about Liverpool’s immediate future. With so many options already unavailable, Slot may be forced to dig even deeper into his squad or even look toward academy solutions. But asking young players to step into such high-pressure roles carries its own risks. This is the balance managers dread, choosing between inexperience and overexposure.
The emotional toll cannot be ignored either. Players are human. Watching a teammate stretchered off, especially one who stepped up to help the team in an unfamiliar role, leaves a mark. It affects concentration. It lingers in the mind. It reminds everyone how fragile a football season can be.
Supporters, too, are feeling the strain. Liverpool fans have been patient, understanding the circumstances and backing Slot through a turbulent transition period. But patience does not remove anxiety. Each new injury announcement feels heavier than the last. Each match brings hope mixed with fear.
As reported by the Evening Standard, an update on Endo’s condition is expected after full-time, but early signs suggest a worrying situation. The use of an inflatable brace and the immediate decision to stretcher him off point toward a significant ankle injury. Even if surgery is avoided, recovery timelines could stretch into weeks or months, depending on severity.
That possibility leaves Liverpool staring at yet another problem without a clear solution. The January window has passed. The squad is what it is. Reinforcements are not coming. All Slot can do is manage what remains and hope that luck, which has been in short supply all season, finally turns.
This injury also raises broader questions about squad depth and planning. Liverpool’s schedule, like that of all top clubs, is relentless. Domestic competitions, European commitments, and international duties place huge demands on players. When injuries pile up, they expose the thin margins at the elite level.
No manager wants to be remembered for excuses, but context matters. Slot has not had the luxury of a settled back line. He has not been able to build partnerships or rhythms. Every match feels like a new puzzle, with missing pieces and unexpected complications.
Endo’s role at right-back was a symbol of trust. Slot trusted his intelligence, discipline, and willingness to sacrifice for the team. That trust was repaid with effort and professionalism. But football does not always reward good intentions.
As the match continued without him, Liverpool had to regroup quickly. The game moved on, as football always does, but the shadow of that moment remained. The sight of Endo leaving the pitch lingered longer than any goal or tactical tweak.
Looking ahead, Liverpool face a defining period. The fixture list does not ease up. Rivals will smell opportunity. Any drop in standards, however understandable, can be punished harshly in the Premier League. Slot’s challenge is not just tactical but emotional, keeping belief alive in a squad that has been tested again and again.
For Endo, the focus now shifts to recovery. Injuries like this are cruel, especially when they come during a period of sacrifice and adaptation. The Japan international has earned respect in the dressing room and among fans for his attitude and commitment. The hope is that this injury does not derail his season completely.
But hope, at this stage, is something Liverpool are clinging to rather than building upon. Each update from the medical room carries weight. Each press conference is listened to with nervous anticipation.
This is not how Liverpool imagined their season unfolding. This is not how Arne Slot imagined his first year at the club. And yet, this is the reality they must confront.
The story of Sunderland versus Liverpool will be remembered not just for the scoreline, but for the image of Wataru Endo being carried off under the Stadium of Light floodlights. It was a moment that captured the fragility of Liverpool’s campaign, the unpredictability of football, and the heavy price paid when a squad is stretched to its limits.
More updates will follow. More assessments will be made. More decisions will be forced. For now, Liverpool wait, hoping that the damage is not as severe as it looked, and praying that their season has not just lost another crucial piece.
But as things stand, the injury crisis has deepened, the problems have multiplied, and Arne Slot’s headache has grown heavier than ever.
