Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann has come to the defence of Florian Wirtz, backing the midfielder to prove his worth at Liverpool once he “gets used to” the demands of the Premier League.
Despite Arne Slot’s struggles to get the best out of Wirtz so far, Nagelsmann insists it is only a matter of time before the 22-year-old begins to replicate the form he displayed during his five-and-a-half years at Bayer Leverkusen.
Interestingly, no Premier League player has created more chances across all competitions this season than Wirtz (21).
However, his adjustment to English football is evident in the league-specific numbers, he ranks joint-15th for chances created in the Premier League (11), while teammate Cody Gakpo sits third with 14, according to FotMob.
Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, who has started all seven of his side’s league fixtures, leads the way with 19 chances created.
Wirtz is yet to record a goal or an assist in nine appearances across the Premier League and Champions League since joining Liverpool in June.
The German playmaker was named on the bench for last weekend’s 2-1 defeat at Chelsea, coming on at half-time to replace Conor Bradley, who had been booked earlier in the match.
After completing 90 minutes in Germany’s 3-0 win over Luxembourg on Friday, Wirtz is expected to feature again when Nagelsmann’s side face Northern Ireland in a World Cup qualifier on Monday.
He will then return to Anfield ahead of next weekend’s clash against Manchester United.
Asked after Germany’s 4-0 win against Luxembourg if he was worried about Wirtz’s struggles since moving to the Premier League, Nagelsmann told SPORT1: “Even if he hasn’t scored a goal, he’s the player who creates the most chances in the Premier League.
“It’s not his fault if his team-mate doesn’t score [the chances], and the statistic isn’t even a third of the truth.
“He simply has to get used to the league. I’ve seen him feel completely liberated. He knows what he’s capable of and how things work.”
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