Liverpool star Wataru Endo given oxygen and stretchered off | Football | Sport

Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo received oxygen and was stretchered off in the Reds’ 1-0 win away to Sunderland in what appears to be a serious injury blow. The 33-year-old’s foot got stuck in the ground while he stretched to clear the ball away following a dangerous cross into the penalty area.

He went down in pain but initially got back to his feet, to the surprise and relief of many inside the Stadium of Light, but he swiftly fell back to the turf and called for medical attention. After a long stoppage of play, the Liverpool medical staff placed him on a stretcher and, while in tears, he was carried off the pitch.

While on the ground and receiving attention, physios gave Endo an oxygen tube to breathe with as he was in visible discomfort.

After five minutes, he was replaced by Joe Gomez, who himself only recently returned from injury. Right-back has been a problem area for Arne Slot and the Japanese international was filling in from his usual central midfield role.

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Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley have both suffered injuries in 2026, with the latter ruled out for the entire season. Alexander Isak and Giovanni Leoni are also out for the remainder of the campaign.

Ally McCoist, on commentary duties for TNT Sports, said that Endo’s injury “looked like a bad one”.

Moments earlier, Virgil van Dijk had given Liverpool the lead from a Mohamed Salah corner, with his headed flick deflected into the back of the net by Sunderland’s Habib Diarra.

Slot may feel the need to draft forgotten man Calvin Ramsay into his squad, due to a lack of recognisable right-backs, though the Dutchman dismissed the possibility before Endo’s injury.

When asked about Ramsay, who has never played a Premier League match for the Reds since arriving from Aberdeen in 2022, Slot said: “In general if you don’t win a game, the players who aren’t playing become the best players in the squad. That’s the same everywhere in the world.

“This is an example of that as well. I just want to protect all my players. I’ve chosen other players until now and that’s also what I’m going to do tomorrow.”

Beyond Liverpool’s season, Endo will also fear for his World Cup campaign, where Japan are set to face the Netherlands, Tunisia and a play-off qualifier this summer