Julian Nagelsmann, Germany's head coach, has defended Florian Wirtz amid criticism of his early performances at Liverpool. The midfielder joined the Premier League champions from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported
fee of up to 116 million. Despite making 16 appearances across all competitions, Wirtz has only registered three assists, with none in the Premier League.
Wirtz's lack of goal contributions in the league has drawn attention. He leads the top-flight with 28 shot involvements without scoring or assisting. Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon follows with 21. Wirtz has created 16 chances in the Premier League, surpassed only by Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo, who have each created 21.
Nagelsmann suggests that if Liverpool's forwards had converted more of Wirtz's chances, his struggles might not be as highlighted. "Liverpool could also help him out by scoring some of the chances he creates," Nagelsmann remarked. "They somehow don't like to shoot the ball in. " This comment came ahead of Germany's World Cup qualifiers against Luxembourg and Slovakia.
During Liverpool's recent 3-0 loss to Manchester City, Wirtz was criticised for his performance. Gary Neville commented that he appeared out of place at Etihad Stadium. In that match, only Hugo Ekitike had fewer touches than Wirtz among Liverpool's starting players.
Liverpool has faced five defeats in their first 11 Premier League matches this season. This is the most losses by a reigning champion at this stage since Leicester City in 2016-17. Only Chelsea in 2015-16 lost more after 11 games as reigning champions.
Nagelsmann pointed out that Liverpool's issues extend beyond Wirtz's slow start. "The overall situation doesn't make it easy for Flo either," he said, noting Liverpool's seven defeats in their last ten games across all competitions. He added that it's harder for new players to integrate into a less stable team.
Champions League Success
Despite challenges in the league, Wirtz has shown promise in the Champions League. He delivered an impressive performance against Real Madrid, creating five chances from open play for the second time this season. This achievement makes him the only Premier League player to do so more than once across all competitions.
1 - Florian Wirtz is either the top or joint-top ranked player in the UEFA Champions League this season in each of these open play categories: Chances created (16 - joint-1st) Expected assists (2.1 - 1st) Big chances created (4 - joint-1st) Undeniable.pic.twitter.com/pkWMFcpPwQOptaJoe (@OptaJoe)November 6, 2025
Wirtz shares the top spot for most chances created in the competition with Kylian Mbappe at 16 each. Nagelsmann believes it's just a matter of time before Wirtz finds his rhythm again.
Support and Patience Needed
"We all know what he's capable of," Nagelsmann stated about Wirtz’s potential. He emphasised that it's normal for young players to experience dips in form and urged patience and support from fans and teammates alike.
Nagelsmann concluded by suggesting that if Liverpool capitalised on more opportunities created by Wirtz, it would aid his confidence and development within the team.
