Overview

• Florian Wirtz remains without a Premier League goal for Liverpool and has one competitive assist from the Community Shield.
• Arne Slot said Wirtz could already have six or seven assists, pointing to missed finishes by teammates including a Mo Salah chance against Chelsea and a shot off the post versus Atletico Madrid.
• Slot urged patience and drew a comparison to Kevin De Bruyne’s early Premier League difficulties before his eventual rise at Manchester City.
• Paul Merson argued Wirtz is being stifled by limited space in Liverpool’s midfield compared with the more open Bundesliga, making service hard to find.
• Liverpool paid a reported £116 million for Wirtz and intend to keep faith as he settles, with the manager’s comments coming before Sunday’s match against Manchester United.