Endo’s Injury Casts a Shadow Over International Break as Chelsea Edge Liverpool in Dramatic Late Show
6 October 2025
Match Today and Endo Injury
Liverpool confirmed on Monday that their Japanese midfielder Wataro Endo will miss international duty with Japan due to an injury sustained recently. The club stated that the knock he picked up as a late substitute in Chelsea’s 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge on Saturday is the reason for his absence.
The Japan Football Association also announced Endo will be unavailable due to the injury.
Endo, who is 32, has not been a regular starter this season, featuring in six matches for a total of 145 minutes.
The incident comes after Endo’s involvement as a substitute in a high profile Premier League clash that Chelsea edged Liverpool 2-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Endo has been part of a squad rotation this campaign, and the news adds to a wider conversation about injuries impacting national team selections during this international window.
Chelsea Late Winner and the Wider Context
Chelsea took a first half lead through Moises Caicedo in the 14th minute, with Cody Gakpo leveling for Liverpool in the 63rd. A stoppage-time strike by Estevao secured the win for Chelsea in the 90+6 minute, sending the Blues up the table as Liverpool slip to second.
Liverpool now sit on 15 points, Arsenal lead on 16, while Chelsea move to 11 points and sit sixth. The Reds have now suffered a third defeat in all competitions in a row, including two Premier League losses and a Champions League defeat to Galatasaray.
Squawka noted that Liverpool have suffered a second consecutive league loss, the first time this has happened since April 2023. Estevao’s late strike means he is Chelsea’s top scorer this season with three goals, level with Enzo Fernandez, after three goals in seven games this season, a stronger start than his previous two campaigns combined.
Gakpo’s away goal marked Liverpool’s first on the road in 2025, while Estevao’s late winner continued Chelsea’s recent upturn, the club’s back-to-back league wins over their metropolitan rivals marking a notable milestone since the Mourinho era.
Reece James starred for Chelsea, registering the most touches (83), and contributing heavily in duels won, tackles and recoveries, underscoring the Blues’ control in moments of pressure.
The run of late goals for Liverpool this season has contrasted with a recent trend where Chelsea have been clinical late on, a pattern that has kept the narrative of a fiercely competitive title race alive. Chelsea’s victory also reinforces a historical thread in this rivalry that has produced memorable moments and dramatic conclusions.
The all-time head-to-head between Chelsea and Liverpool remains a talking point in English football, with a history of drama and high stakes that continues to define the Premier League private duel between these two giants.
Overall, the result reshapes the early table and adds fuel to a season already rich with narrative around injuries, international breaks, and one of England’s fiercest rivalries.
Punchline 1: If injuries were currency, Liverpool would be rich in October, yet cashing in on fitness remains the real treasure.
Punchline 2: Chelsea’s depth is so impressive that even their substitutes need a passport and a fitness test just to cross the touchline.
