Reds Defeat Burnley but Wirtz Still Searching for Form
Liverpool needed a 95th-minute penalty from Mohamed Salah to maintain their perfect start to the season against Burnley.
It was far from a convincing performance by the Reds, who were frustrated for much of the match by Scott Parker's well-drilled side. The breakthrough only came deep into stoppage time when substitute Hannibal Mejbri was penalised for handball inside the box.
Salah made no mistake from the spot, firing home to seal all three points and extend Liverpool's unbeaten run.
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Yet, despite their flawless record, questions remain over Liverpool's attacking play, with Arne Slot's often lacking creativity in the final third and making games harder than they should be.
One player under the spotlight is Florian Wirtz, who was expected to provide that spark. The German midfielder arrived on Merseyside this summer for a staggering £116 million, but his adaptation to the Premier League has been far from smooth.
A signing of that magnitude is expected to hit the ground running, but Wirtz has instead looked like a weak link in Liverpool's midfield. Too often he is brushed off the ball, holds onto possession for too long, and fails to provide the cutting edge the Reds desperately need.
Against Burnley, in a match where his creativity could have been decisive, Wirtz once again showed only flashes of his ability. The 22-year-old was repeatedly dispossessed in dangerous areas and struggled to impose himself around the Clarets' box.
No need to fear
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Despite his struggles, Wirtz still ranks highest in the Liverpool squad for shot-creating actions and second for key passes, underlining his influence in moving the team further up the pitch when opportunities arise.
His vision and range of passing have been evident in moments, but he continues to look like a player adjusting to life at one of the biggest clubs in the world and in the toughest league in football.
Teammate Hugo Ekitike, who also joined from the Bundesliga this summer, has urged patience, insisting Liverpool fans have nothing to worry about and that better days are ahead for Wirtz.
"Flo is a great, great player, he understands football I think as I understand football," Ekitike said.
"We speak the same language on the pitch, so it's kind of easy to have a connection with him. But I think you guys haven't seen everything yet, better days are coming.
"The connection is good. We're almost the same age, same generation, we talk the same football language, and even outside football he's a good guy."
Although Wirtz is yet to fully kickstart his Liverpool career, those glimpses of quality on the ball suggest that once he finds confidence and adapts fully to the Premier League, he has the potential to be an unstoppable player.
For now, he just needs that first goal or assist to spark his belief and truly announce himself on the English stage.