Jurgen Klopp can test Fabinho replacement against Bournemouth

It's quite astounding what Jurgen Klopp was able to achieve between 2018 and 2020.

The front three of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah was one of the best the Premier League and Europe have seen.

Their lethal attacking moves had defenders shaking in fear but without three overlooked players, Klopp's masterplan might never have succeeded.

Jordan Henderson and Goerginio Wijnaldum ran the game for Liverpool centrally with Fabinho at the base of the midfield, winning the ball whenever needed.

Their hard work allowed Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold the freedom to charge up the pitch in support of the front three.

However, all three have now moved on.

The current setup is not ideal despite Liverpool being three points off the top of the Premier League table.

Toulouse performance reveals why Endo is crucial for Liverpool

Alexis Mac Allister is doing a remarkable job as the no.6 in Klopp's new-look midfield but Wataru Endo is more suited to protecting the back four until a specialist defensive midfielder is signed.

Not only is the Japan national team captain better in a defensive role, Mac Allister is far more effective in the attacking final third. Playing Endo against Bournemouth as the no.6 will again allow Klopp to experiment.

After playing the 20-year-old in defensive midfield against Toulouse in the Europa League last week, the Carabao Cup offers another opportunity for Endo to showcase his quality.

Against last week's French opposition, Endo scored his first goal for Liverpool but was exemplary from start to finish. His possession stats were elite as he registered 88 touches, underlining his influence on the match.

His passing was simply fantastic. Not only did he play two key passes, his pass accuracy was 96% from a total of 69 attempts. Endo may need to work on his long-range passing, however, finding the mark just once from three attempts.

Defensively, Endo wasn't tested as much as he would be in the Premier League but he still intervened routinely to bail Liverpool out of trouble with three interceptions and five tackles as well as the 11 ground duels he won.

How Endo takes Liverpool 2.0 to a new level with his unique skillset?

Jurgen Klopp's success as a football coach has always been founded on his teams being hardworking. That is still the case in 2023.

Without the hard work that is put in midfield, the likes of Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez would not be flourishing as they are right now.

This was proven last season when Henderson, Milner and Fabinho struggled immensely.

As mentioned earlier, including him in the starting lineup would allow Klopp to start Macca higher up the pitch where his creativity can be more influential.

Endo is brilliant at sitting in front of the centre-backs, sweeping up attacks and move the ball out wide or playing progressive passes straight down the centre of the pitch,

He's certainly not perfect but until a new defensive midfielder is signed, the Japanese midfielder could be exactly what Liverpool need.

What's the latest on Liverpool transfer plans to sign a new defensive midfielder?

Fluminense midfielder Andre reportedly confirmed that he received an offer from a “big European club", believed to be Liverpool but a move to Anfield in January is very likely.

A move to sign him will cost Liverpool in the region of £30 million and will finally bring to an end the Reds' lack of a top quality no.6.