'If Endo doesn't play against Brentford I think that sends a message'
In the latest episode of The Red Kop podcast, host Paul Salt says Alexis Mac Allister is not suited to the holding midfield role: "We can all see he’s not comfortable there. You don’t have to be a genius. This has been going on for weeks.
"Last week [at Luton Town], I gave him the benefit of the doubt because he played a lot better against Nottingham Forest. But that’s against a team who basically didn’t get out of their own half. Against Luton, there was a lot more pressure on him on the ball and he lost possession or made silly tackles, and that’s where it’s a problem. When he did that role at Brighton, he did it as a double with Moises Caicedo. Caicedo’s not there any more."
BBC Radio Merseyside's Chris Coughlin agreed and said Jurgen Klopp needs to play Wataru Endo in that role instead: "You’ve absolutely got to play Endo. First of all, on Thursday against Toulouse I want to see Alexis Mac Allister play in the 10. I want to see what he can do there because it tells us that is what he was brought in to do. He must be getting frustrated. Klopp said he wouldn’t be playing there if he wasn’t happy.
"I think he’ll have a great career at Liverpool, but you have to play Endo now.
"In the same way that Kalvin Phillips didn’t play [for Manchester City] when Rodri was suspended at the back end of last month, if Endo doesn't play against Brentford I think that sends a message."
Salt added: "That sends a message that Klopp is not a big fan of Endo, and I am wondering if that is the case."
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