Florian Wirtz Faces Struggles At Liverpool Following Defeat To Manchester City

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Gary Neville has expressed concerns about Florian Wirtz's performance at Liverpool, describing him as looking like a "little boy" during their loss to Manchester City. Wirtz, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen for a significant fee, has struggled in the Premier League. Despite showing potential, he has yet to score or assist in 11 matches.

The German international has been involved in 28 shots without scoring or assisting, the highest in the league. Newcastle's Anthony Gordon follows with 21. At the Etihad Stadium, Wirtz had only 39 touches, with only Hugo Ekitike having fewer among Liverpool's starters. Neville highlighted these issues on his podcast.

Neville stated, "Wirtz is a problem... It's an issue." He noted that while Wirtz is talented and technically skilled, he was outperformed by Matheus Nunes and others. Neville emphasized that despite being young and new to England, Wirtz needs to step up due to his high transfer fee.

In contrast, Wirtz has excelled in the Champions League. He shares the top spot for most chances created (16) with Kylian Mbappe and recorded two assists against Eintracht Frankfurt last month. This marked his first goal contributions since August's Community Shield.

Wirtz's standout performance came during Liverpool's recent win over Real Madrid. Playing on the left wing, he created five open-play chances for the second time this season. No other Premier League player has achieved this across all competitions.

Liverpool's Challenge

Neville stressed that Liverpool must unlock Wirtz's potential. Despite being a respected Germany international, he appears unprepared for intense Premier League matches. Neville urged Liverpool to persist with him and develop his tenacity and form.

Liverpool faces the challenge of integrating Wirtz into their squad effectively. While his Champions League performances show promise, translating this success to domestic games remains crucial for both him and the team.