The Reds maintained their six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table with a convincing win at Anfield.
After Dominik Szoboszlai put Liverpool ahead after just 11 minutes, the victory was never in doubt against an Ipswich side who rarely looked like getting a result.
Once the Reds went 3-0 up at half-time, it was all about managing the game and making sure Liverpool did not suffer any needless injuries.
That saw Arne Slot bring a number of more fringe players on, with Wataru Endo getting a 22 minute run-out.
Endo was good during his cameo, but was most notable for being on the receiving end of a horror tackle from Julio Enciso. After taking a knee pretty much to the face, Slot has hailed Endo’s response.
Endo has done brilliantly to work his way back into Slot’s plans at Liverpool.
The Reds’ boss was keen to ship Wata out after being unconvinced by what he’d seen in pre-season. But the Japan captain has fought hard to become a key option for Slot from the bench.
Endo is typified by his incredible mentality and never-say-die attitude and speaking in his post-match press conference, Slot said that this was on full display after Enciso clattered into the 31-year-old in the middle of the pitch.
“When the foul was made I was like, that doesn’t look good, and the reactions from the players that were around him showed me,” said the Liverpool head coach.
“I was like, let’s wait and see, but immediately during the game already he shakes his head one or two times and just goes again.
“His mentality is unbelievable – and he was fine. It was only a yellow so I assume that the fear I had was not realistic because it was only a yellow.”
There is no world in which Enciso did not deserve a straight red card for his challenge on Endo.
The Paraguayan did pull away just at the last moment, otherwise his studs would have slammed into the Liverpool player’s chest.
Instead, he more or less kneed Endo in the face, smashing into him and bringing the Liverpool man down.
With VAR in full effect at Anfield, it was incredible that the referees did not see fit to send Enciso off.
Thankfully Endo was okay, but had this been on a player with less steel than the No.3, it could have been incredibly dangerous.
