Arne Slot has revealed Liverpool’s medical team urged him to withdraw Florian Wirtz earlier than he did in Sunday’s 2-0 win over West Ham.
The German was the Reds’ standout performer at the London Stadium and was selected as the club’s man of the match after pulling the strings for long spells from the no.10 role. Wirtz created several openings for teammates, particularly in the first half, prompting Jamie Carragher to claim he was “head and shoulders” above everyone else at the half-time interval.
Wirtz’s levels dipped slightly in the second period, and he was replaced in the 75th minute.
That was unsurprising, given that the 22-year-old has missed the last two games due to injury, but Slot felt it was vital to keep Wirtz on the pitch considering his impact on the game.
“We tried to create an extra midfielder, and he [Wirtz] was very important for us to find, every time, the extra midfielder,” explained the Liverpool head coach.
“He was good when he made a dribble; he was really good in his one-touch balls.
Florian Wirtz surrounded by West Ham players
Jamie Carragher claimed Florian Wirtz was Liverpool's best player in the first half against West Ham (Image: Getty Images)
“I even remember a moment when he played the ball diagonally in the 18-yard box to Cody Gakpo, which then didn't lead to a shot, so no xG value.
“We had many of those moments, and he was part of many of those moments, I think. A good game.
"The performance staff were constantly telling me, 'He needs to go out, he needs to go out' - because he's been out for one and a half, two weeks and he only trained once, so to a certain extent maybe it was a bit of risk to keep him in the team, but some situations ask for an exception and I think today was one of them."
Sunday's result eased some of the pressure on Arne Slot
Sunday's result eased some of the pressure on Arne Slot (Image: Getty Images)
Despite Wirtz’s impressive showing, he is still searching for his first Premier League goal and assist since his summer move to Anfield.
That, however, is no longer the case for Alexander Isak. The ex-Newcastle star netted his maiden league goal since his record-breaking deadline-day transfer in September, as he placed the ball into the bottom corner from a Cody Gakpo cross just before the hour mark in London.
The Dutchman then grabbed the second goal of the game as he controlled and fired beyond Alphonse Areloa in injury time.
The 2-0 win means Liverpool moves up to eighth in the table and ends its disastrous run of nine defeats in 12.