Liverpool secured their third Europa League victory of the season with a noteworthy performance over French side Toulouse at Anfield on Thursday night, extending their perfect record in the group phase.
Having performed so poorly last season but captured the essence of Jurgen Klopp's system once more since the summer, the Reds' triumph in the continental competition appears to be on the cards.
Having finished fifth in the Premier League last season, Champions League football this year slipped out of reach but the resounding start to the campaign has placed Liverpool in early title contention, albeit alongside multiple rivals at this stage.
But the balance has been restored and against Toulouse, the kind of attacking intensity and incisiveness was most pleasing ahead of an important phase of the season.
Liverpool were "emphatic" vs Toulouse
Klopp was delighted after another victory and so too was The Athletic's James Pearce, who praised the "emphatic" showing and the growing cohesion within this new-look Merseyside squad.
Putting five past TFC, the offensive flow was laudable, though Thijs Dallinga's equalising goal after Diogo Jota's fleet-footed opener was a product of a defensive mishap from Joe Gomez and teenage starting debutant Luke Chambers.
There will be sterner tests to come, and it is perhaps telling that dropped points this season have come against Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion, three of the toughest opposition faced this term, but the manner of the win left Klopp and the adoring Anfield support enraptured.
The Europa League group phase, at no disrespect to the opposition, may not be the sternest test of Liverpool, who could be wanting to fight for the one piece of silverware that has evaded Klopp's grasp, and their quality.
That being said, desultory displays will be punished, and the first half against LASK in September highlighted this, with renewed vigour after the break turning the deficit on its head.
In an idealised world, Liverpool would be fighting among Europe's elite in the Champions League for a fourth final under the German manager's wing, but last season's failure has enforced a return to the rung below on the ladder, and now securing success is crucial.
Making good use of the whole squad is crucial in this regard, with many first-teamers in the Premier League relegated to the bench on Thursday night once again.
Ryan Gravenberch retained his place after earning a maiden appearance from the outset in the English top-flight last weekend, during victory over rivals Everton, and the 21-year-old ace is swiftly emerging as a starring member of this resurgent team.
Ryan Gravenberch's performance vs Toulouse
Having failed to impress with German champions Bayern Munich last season after signing from Ajax in 2022, Gravenberch completed a £34m transfer to the Reds late in August, with each passing performance bolstering the decision to secure his signature.
With a license to shine this year, the £150k-per-week midfielder has already notched up two goals and assists apiece across all competitions, and left reporter Neil Jones claiming he has "got the lot" after a sensational showing against French opposition.
Statistic
#
Minutes played
70'
Goals
1
Shots on target
4
Pass completion
26/27 (96%)
Key passes
3
Dribble attempts
2/2 (100%)
Ground duels won
6/9 (66%)
Tackles
3
Interceptions
2
Touches
49
It was, quite simply, an all-action performance of the highest merit, and it's becoming increasingly clear that at Bayern Munich this dynamic Dutchman's qualities were not developed as best as they could have been.
He's not without blame, having failed to endear himself to either Julian Nagelsmann or Thomas Tuchel, but with the likes of Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka ahead in the pecking order, opportunities were limited.
At Liverpool, he has been promised a platform to demonstrate his skills and has taken this with aplomb so far, and while he deserves the plaudits for his standout performance in red so far, the impressive account that holding midfielder Wataru Endo has given for himself, another summer signing, will have left Klopp positively delighted.
Wataru Endo has announced himself
When Liverpool purchased Endo, aged 30, from German Bundesliga side Stuttgart for around £16m after losing out on both Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo to Chelsea, were was a chorus of apprehension that Klopp and sporting director Jorg Schmadtke had fumbled the bag quite considerably.
But the veteran Japan midfielder is slowly proving his astute worth, and, against Toulouse, his assiduous role led journalist David Lynch to remark on the “outstanding” part he played.
Bagging his first goal for the club after deftly and accurately guiding Trent Alexander-Arnold's curling delivery home, Endo complemented his strike with an immense match driving away danger and recycling possession for the likes of Gravenberch and Darwin Nunez to wreak havoc in the final third.
As per Sofascore, having played the full 90, he took 87 touches and completed 66/69 (96%) of his passes, making two key passes and winning a whopping ten duels, also forging five tackles and three interceptions.
Alexis Mac Allister has been filling in in the No. 6 position in the Premier League and is undoubtedly the more technically adept of the two, but Endo's prowess as the natural anchor offers a valuable extra dimension.
Toulouse were overpowered, and the £50k-per-week machine played his part to near perfection, though he was dribbled past on three occasions and does lack a bit of mobility and raw pace.
Nonetheless, having lost possession just four times despite his placement in the innermost point of the pitch, he controlled the flow and snuffed out French advances impressively; it was a performance that announced his ability and confirmed that he has what it takes to do a job for an outfit targetting a silver-laden crescendo to the campaign.
For the majority of the Premier League, Endo's arrival on Merseyside went unremarked after Liverpool's failure to sign two coveted, more high-profile targets.
But there is a growing sense that the strong battler will prove to be a most valuable member of an ambitious crop of players and he boasts the industrious attributes to really make a difference throughout the campaign, as shown by his performance on Thursday night.
Gravenberch dazzled on the European stage and unsurprisingly stole the headlines, but do not not forget how important Endo was during the emphatic win, which has effectively sealed Liverpool's place at the top of Group E, five points ahead of Union Saint-Gilloise and Toulouse at the midpoint.
Bundesliga commentator Kevin Thatchard was among those to wax lyrical following Liverpool's acquisition, pronouncing Endo a "proper warrior and leader."
Such qualities are imperative to the Reds' chances of success across multiple fronts this year, and Klopp's new man proved against Toulouse that he is every bit the calibre of player to thrive at Anfield, holding the team together with his tough, energetic midfield work.
Therefore, Endo could be Klopp's new hero alongside Gravenberch in the middle of the park if he is provided with an opportunity to play regular football, based on the pair's respective displays against Toulouse.
