Arne Slot issues Wataru Endo injury update and glowing Dominik Szoboszlai verdict

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has offered an update on Wataru Endo and his verdict on Dominik Szoboszlai after an impressive 3-0 win over Brighton in the FA Cup

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Liverpool boss Arne Slot says Wataru Endo could play again this season after he sustained a serious injury against Sunderland midweek, though no exact timeline is being placed on his return just yet.

Endo was stretchered off at the Stadium of Light and he is not going to be back for some time. Without him, Dominik Szoboszlai, Mohamed Salah and Curtis Jones were excellent against Brighton.

"There is definitely a chance (he will be back this season), but he will not play for a while," Slot confirmed after the final whistle at Anfield, speaking in a press conference.

Without him, Jones was excellent at right-back. Joe Gomez also made another appearance off the bench, while Szoboszlai and Salah combined brilliantly for Liverpool's second goal.

"I think there are a lot of very good to elite football players in the world, but I definitely agree with Mo that Dom is one of them," Slot added.

"When said that maybe he had to add [more goals], you need to run a lot if you play in the midfield for Liverpool.

Dominik Szoboszlai scored Liverpool's second against Brighton in the FA Cup.(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

"But I think what I meant was, as a No. 10, you need to produce goals. He hasn’t always played in the No. 10 position but is producing more and more goals.

"Dominik is a great example of the model we are using at this club. We sign young players from another league, this situation Leipzig, where he was already known as a player for being really physical.

"I think it’s fair for me to say the player we brought in was already good but where is he now, he is much better than where he was two-and-a-half years ago.

"That is what you get if you sign young players, give them a bit of time and let them play a lot.

"That’s why the trajectory he has been through can be the same trajectory from other players we have signed from other leagues.

"You can already see their progress but I’ve said many times that next season, the end of the season or in two seasons, players like Hugo and Florian, because these are two that come from the Bundesliga, will be better than they are now because they’re already good players for us."

Szoboszlai might be needed at right-back again with Endo set for a period on the sidelines. But with Jones excelling there, Slot also has another option that would leave the Hungarian in the center.