Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has called on head coach Andoni Iraola to drop Florian Wirtz from the starting lineup.
The German joined from Bayer Leverkusen 15 months ago for a record £100 million. However, during his tenure at Liverpool, he has managed only five goals in 32 Premier League appearances. In Sunday’s victory over Bournemouth, which ended 1-0, Wirtz once again struggled to make an impact and was substituted in the 70th minute.
Speaking on the Sky Sports podcast, Carragher insisted that a player costing £100 million should no longer be afforded slack.
I think Iraola will have some decisions to make going forward. Wirtz wouldn’t be in my Liverpool team. That was a crucial game for him against Bournemouth, but he didn’t show anything and now he’s facing a three-week layoff. By the time we return, it will be October. Before you know it, Christmas will come knocking in six to eight weeks. He has to step up! Wirtz wouldn’t be in my Liverpool team for the home match against Manchester City.
Journalist David Lynch also questioned Wirtz's place in the squad for the upcoming clash with Manchester City on October 11, especially given the impressive performance of Trey Nyon when he replaced the German.
Now, Wirtz will head off to join the German national team under Jurgen Klopp. Hopefully, a strong showing for his country will help him regain form and secure his spot in Liverpool’s starting XI.
