Liverpool handed Wataru Endo boost after Japan knocked out of Asian Cup

Liverpool are set to welcome Wataru Endo back to domestic action after his Japan side were surprisingly knocked out of the Asian Cup on Saturday.

Japan went into Asian Cup as tournament favourites having finished as runners-up in 2019, but they have been eliminated at the quarter-final stage.

Despite boasting talent such as Endo, Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo and Arsenal's Takehiro Tomiyasu, Japan fell to Iran 2-1 in the last eight this weekend.

Hidemasa Morita had put the Samurai Blue ahead midway through the first half before Mohammad Mohebi equalised for Iran just after the break.

With the game heading to extra-time, Iran were awarded a 96th-minute penalty, and former Brighton winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh converted to send Japan home.

Endo will now be released from international duty and return to Liverpool. Though the midfielder will be unable to face Arsenal on Sunday, he is expected to be eligible when Burnley visit Anfield next Saturday.

The veteran midfielder has quickly become a fan favourite at Liverpool following his surprise signing from Stuttgart last summer, coming in after the Reds missed out on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea.

Though he was eager to play down his comments later, Jurgen Klopp said recruiting Endo proved to be 'lucky' for Liverpool in the aftermath of Caicedo's rocky start at Stamford Bridge.

Endo has already played 25 games for Liverpool across all competitions in his debut season on Merseyside, scoring three times and grabbing one assist.

Since Endo departed for the Asian Cup, Liverpool have gone unbeaten in six games, winning five of those. Klopp has also announced he will be standing down from his role as manager come the end of the season.

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