Florian Wirtz was criticised by former Liverpool left-back Stephen Warnock during the club’s match against Manchester City, with the pundit describing the Germany international’s performance as another underwhelming display.
Speaking on BBC 5 Live, Warnock said he had been “very underwhelmed” by Wirtz’s contribution since the midfielder joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in a big-money move last year.
Wirtz struggled to make a significant impact during his first season at Anfield, although other Liverpool players also experienced notable dips in form under former manager Arne Slot. His performances have remained a concern since Andoni Iraola took charge, with the 23-year-old often appearing quiet and ineffective.
Gary Neville also called for an improvement from Wirtz during an interview with Sky Sports, as quoted in BBC Sport’s live feed.
“Florian Wirtz has got to do better. I know we’ve said that a lot over the past few weeks. He should be the connection, the glue, that links Liverpool’s midfield and attack,” Neville said.
Questions over Florian Wirtz’s Liverpool future
The criticism comes amid growing uncertainty over Wirtz’s position at Liverpool. There is a sense that patience is running out inside Anfield, while leading European clubs are understood to be monitoring his situation.
Those clubs continue to rate Wirtz highly, but his lack of impact in English football has increased the pressure on him to improve quickly. Further subdued performances could leave Liverpool considering whether his future lies elsewhere.
