InterviewWataru Endo on Liverpool story so far, Cavern trip and trophy target

The midfielder arrived at the club in August after four years with VfB Stuttgart and Wednesday’s Carabao Cup win at AFC Bournemouth marked his 11th appearance for the Reds.

A week earlier, Endo had opened his goalscoring account with a crisp header in the Anfield victory over Toulouse – and the No.3 feels he is, and can continue, getting stronger and more influential with each game.

“Toulouse was my best performance for Liverpool so far,” he told Liverpoolfc.com during a chat at the AXA Training Centre earlier this week.

“I can improve more but I feel now my teammates already know me and how I play on the pitch, and also I know how they play as well. It was a very good game and I felt much more comfortable playing.”

Endo added: “If I keep playing well then I will have much more chances to play, in my opinion. I can improve more and I’m just trying to keep working hard.”

After the whirlwind nature of his transfer to the club, in his spare time the Japan international has been adapting to life in his new home on Merseyside.

And that transition has featured an introduction to a cultural totem of the city.

“The first few weeks I was alone and staying in a hotel so I went to a Japanese restaurant in Liverpool and I went to the Beatles museum, seeing the statues on the street and also saw the Cavern, so that was really good,” Endo explained.

“Actually I didn’t know The Beatles were from Liverpool but I have listened to The Beatles’ songs because my former teacher was a Beatles fan.

“When I was a junior high school student he always played a Beatles song before his class, so I know a few of The Beatles’ songs.

“My favourite Beatles song is Let It Be.”

With Premier League, Europa League and Carabao Cup commitments to juggle, Jürgen Klopp has been utilising the depth of his squad to tackle the pattern of three games per week.

Endo was one of eight players brought in to the XI at Bournemouth as Liverpool delivered a fourth successive victory in all competitions.

“We play twice a week, we change players but we keep winning. That is because everyone is always ready to play, even if you are starting or not,” said the 30-year-old.

“That’s a very important thing to keep winning as a team. Everyone is ready to play and we are playing well.”

Next on the schedule for the Reds is a trip to face Luton Town in the league on Sunday afternoon.

The encounter with Rob Edwards’ side represents the club’s first outing at Kenilworth Road since an FA Cup clash back in January 2008.

“I’m excited to go to every game, and of course Luton will be a tough game but we will try to win this game,” said Endo.

“Every Premier League match is an amazing atmosphere so I’m enjoying it and I want to play more games on the pitch.”

With both the season and his Liverpool career still in their early stages, Endo is reluctant to look too far into the future with regards to possibilities.

But he stressed the motivation he has felt since day one to add to the club’s successes.

Asked for his sense of the hunger within the squad to lift trophies, Endo finished: “I think so. Now, it’s a bit early to talk about trophies.

“But when I came here to Liverpool I really wanted to win trophies, so that’s why I came here. We need to keep playing well and focus every game, so we will see what happens at the end of the season.”