Florian Wirtz was one of Liverpool’s marquee summer signings, and he has so far endured a mixed season.
Wirtz was criticised early in the campaign amid a lack of goals and assists, which he has since rectified in the last several months.
The German, though, has not been great when facing this season’s top six so far, something Arne Slot said in his pre-Manchester United press conference that he is ‘sure’ will change.
What’s stopping Liverpool from posting another BIG win at Old Trafford on Sunday?
Tell us your score prediction 🔮
Arne Slot backs Florian Wirtz to be better against top Premier League teams
In 2025/26 to date, Wirtz has managed to score five and provide four assists in 30 Premier League matches.
However, none of those goal contributions have come against teams currently inside the top six, including this weekend’s opponents.
The only traditional ‘big’ club the 22-year-old has managed to score or assist against this term is relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur, setting up one goal in their meeting on December 20.
But when asked about Wirtz’s development in the Man Utd presser on Friday, Slot thinks that is going to change.
He said: “I don’t only hope that, I am 100% sure he will turn up [against top six teams]. We play three of those now so there are chances but it so clear the development in 10 months, it is clear and obvious. 93 mins vs Crystal Palace, wins a throw-in and then hits it in the top corner.
“I was not convinced he could do that 8 months ago. His improvement, he was already an elite player, has been for me obvious. It will only continue. He is 23 on Sunday. That makes sense, every player is at his best at 25/26, he can only become better. That is the beauty of the signings we made.”
Who REALLY got the better deal here? Liverpool or City?
Should we have signed Cherki instead? 😬
Florian Wirtz’s chances created among best in Premier League
While Wirtz is yet to post numbers that really justify his £116m transfer fee, that may not entirely be on the player.
Liverpool as a squad have had a difficult season under Slot, with the overall performances suffering as a result.
The former Bayer Leverkusen man, for his part, is actually doing his job pretty well and is among the top chance creators in the Premier League.
Wirtz has the fifth-most chances created in the top flight ahead of the latest gameweek (57).
Only Leeds United’s Anton Stach (58), Dominik Szoboszlai (61), Declan Rice (61) and Bruno Fernandes (114) have created more.
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox
