It is a year to the month since Wataru Endo was one of four Liverpool outfield players to play the full 120-minute Carabao Cup final. A young, injury-plagued Reds team somehow prevailed, with captain Virgil van Dijk scoring the only goal of the game against Chelsea with a 118th-minute header.

Endo has seen his role change, and change again, but he remains an invaluable player in the current Liverpool first-team squad, fighting on four fronts.

In the summer of 2023, Fabinho departed for Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, and none of the three marquee midfielders Liverpool would sign were No.6s.

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The three new signings - Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion, Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig and Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich - were No.8s.

On August 18, 2023, Liverpool signed the not-widely-known Endo for £16million from Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart, with the Japanese international expected to be a squad-rotation player.

The following day, he made his Premier League debut, replacing Cody Gakpo in the 63rd minute of a hard-earned 3-1 home victory over AFC Bournemouth.

The 31-year-old started the next game as for the second successive week 10-men Liverpool overturned a deficit to win, that time 2-1 at Newcastle United.

Endo started all the Europa League group stage games - scoring in the victory over Toulouse - and in the third and fourth-round ties in the Carabao Cup.

But the Reds’ No.3 would have to wait for his chance for a run of games in the league. And take it he would.

Four minutes after replacing Gravenberch, he scored an 87th-minute equaliser in the 4-3 win over Fulham. It was in the moment he hit it.

Endo started the next 12 games, earning him the club's Player of the Month for December and culminating in winning his first trophy for Liverpool.

After starting 13 out of the final 16 games of the term, supporters assumed he would be the starting No.6 for the new campaign.

Endo was rumoured to be leaving despite his strong end to the season last summer but he remained, albeit only playing just 574 minutes thus far.

Seven of his 10 Premier League appearances have been as a substitute after the 87-minute mark in the James Milner role, helping see out games.

He has played centre-back four times, including the 1-0 Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg defeat at Tottenham Hotspur last month, and looked accomplished in the role.

Meanwhile, Gravenberch was expected to have a 'breakout season' after a forgettable first campaign, but as a No.8 and not as a No.6.

His long-range strike in the 3-1 defeat of Fulham last season had shown glimpses of his potential, but he was underused by manager Jurgen Klopp.

After frustratingly missing out on Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, new Liverpool head coach Arne Slot decided to convertn Gravenberch into a No.6

The Dutchman had played nearly a thousand fewer minutes in all competitions (1,839) in comparison to Endo (2,758) in 2023-24.

But there has been a role reversal in 2024-25, with Endo covering in place of Gravenberch until the two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur.

Gravenberch has already played 915 more minutes than last term (2,754) - and it is only early February.

The 22-year-old has been the big winner - but at the expense of the unfortunate Endo - of the Klopp to Slot transition.

However, like Milner, Endo has conducted himself with consummate professionalism, never complained and has been ready to perform when needed - likely at Plymouth Argyle next.