Liverpool face Chelsea this afternoon at Stamford Bridge, with Arne Slot naming a strong starting XI to face the Blues.

Despite having a golden chance to hand some youngsters crucial first-team minutes with Liverpool last week crowned Premier League champions, the Reds have instead gone for a well-balanced team featuring the likes of Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk.

Some changes have been made, though, with Kostas Tsimikas and Curtis Jones returning to the XI as Diogo Jota also leads the line for Liverpool, with the move coming after the Portuguese international was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia.

However, the biggest change was to come from central midfield, with Slot naming a surprise player in the pack with the tried-and-tested three of Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai all rested.

Liverpool fans all in agreement after watching Wataru Endo’s first Premier League start of the season vs Chelsea	Four changes as Arne Slot hands £45m player first PL start of the season: Liverpool's predicted XI vs Chelsea	Arne Slot makes 'surprise' Chelsea admission as Enzo Maresca delivers honest Liverpool verdict

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Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Wataru Endo has been a benchwarmer for most of the season with Liverpool, with the Japanese international yet to make a Premier League start before Slot’s surprise decision today to hand the midfielder a chance in the holding role against Chelsea.

With Liverpool hoping to keep Endo this summer despite growing interest from Bundesliga clubs, today’s start could be a huge chance for the 32-year-old to stake a claim for himself in Slot’s squad for next season.

Indeed, Endo has found himself as a fan favourite despite hardly featuring for Liverpool this season, and supporters on social media were excited to see the former Bundesliga dynamo make his first Premier League start campaign against Chelsea.

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One Liverpool fan posted: “Endo starts, we’re not conceding for the rest of the year.”

Another supporter wrote: “Endo is getting a guard of honour, I used to pray for times like this.”

Indeed, the Japanese international’s inclusion in the starting XI was a pleasant surprise for Liverpool supporters, and fans are seemingly excited to see what the former VfB Stuttgart man can do today against Chelsea.

One fan wrote on Twitter: “I love you Arne for giving Endo a guard of honour from Enzo, Caicedo and Lavia.”

Whilst another supporter posted: “Does Slot have socials?

All week Liverpool fans have been asking for Endo to start so he can get a guard of honour, and hear we are.”


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