Image Credits: Imago Images
Florian Wirtz appeared destined to finally break his Liverpool duck during the dramatic clash against Sunderland, as the German midfielder danced past multiple defenders to fire home a desperately needed equalizer in the 81st minute.
The £116 million summer signing showcased the technical brilliance that made him such a coveted prospect, weaving through the penalty area with remarkable footwork before unleashing a strike that rippled the net.
For a fleeting moment, it seemed Wirtz had claimed his maiden Reds goal and provided the catalyst to rescue his side from another disappointing home result.
However, the Premier League’s goal accreditation panel intervened.
They ruled that Wirtz’s attempt was heading wide before being deflected by Sunderland defender Nordi Mukiele, resulting in the goal being attributed as an own goal.
Replays confirmed the panel’s decision, revealing that the German international’s left-footed effort would indeed have missed the target without the decisive touch from the Black Cats defender.
Though understandably frustrating, Wirtz handled the disappointment with grace.
Speaking to the media post-match, the Reds No.7 said of the strike being chalked a Mukiele own goal:
“It doesn’t matter for me. We draw. We wanted to win. That’s what counts today. Unlucky.”
“I’m disappointed that we didn’t win. Of course, when you go 1-0 down it’s always better to get a point than zero but of course we wanted to win,” he continued via liverpoolfc.com
“The fans were there for us so [I am] a bit disappointed but also a bit proud that we came back like this after a setback. At the moment it is not easy for us because not everything is going in our way, so we have to be patient and keep the hard work up.
“We didn’t have so many chances in the first half I think and we knew that we would get a few [in the second half]. We just had to be patient and to keep the pressure on, or even more than the first half.
“That’s what we tried and then the 1-0 was a bit unlucky – I think we could have won the duel before and then also the deflection was a bit unlucky.
“But in the end we get one point and that is better than nothing… we did a good job after the 1-0 and we have to keep going like this in the next games.”
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