Florian Wirtz finally got his first Premier League assist in Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Tottenham, but it was his all-round performance which showed his real value.
With his £116 million price tag looming over him, Wirtz’s lack of assists in the Premier League has long been a point of contention among rival supporters.
But the No. 7 ended his so-called drought by teeing up Alexander Isak for the opener in Saturday’s 2-1 victory away to Tottenham.
That may be the headline-grabber, but FotMob stats prove once again that Wirtz’s influence was far more than one assist.
Wirtz’s influence vs. Tottenham: On and off the ball
LONDON, ENGLAND - Saturday, December 20, 2025: Liverpool's Florian Wirtz during the FA Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Liverpool FC at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Wirtz received the highest FotMob rating by far after Saturday’s win (8.6), which should be no surprise: he dominated the stats charts.
The German thrived in his role off the left, with Arne Slot giving him license to drift into a central area whenever it suited, dictating play and combining particularly well with Curtis Jones and goalscorer Hugo Ekitike.
That resulted in:
• The second most-touches of any player: 105
• The most touches in the opponent’s box: 7
• The second-most passes completed: 83/91 (91%)
• The joint-most chances created: 2
• The most dribbles completed: 4/5 (80%)
Jones, with 118 touches and 94 completed passes, was the only player more involved on the ball – which came with the Scouser deployed in a box-to-box midfield role.
But while Wirtz thrived in possession as a constant outlet and finally registered his first Premier League assist, his contribution off the ball was equally as valuable.
He recorded:
• Liverpool’s joint-most defensive contributions: 8
• The game’s joint-most recoveries: 7
• The second-most duels won: 5/8 (62.5%)
Szoboszlai and Milos Kerkez were the only Liverpool players to make as many defensive contributions, and they both played at least 45 minutes as part of Slot’s back four.
Alisson, as is typical for goalkeepers, was the only player to make as many recoveries – defined as regaining possession in open play – while centre-back Van Dijk (11/13; 84.6%) was the only player to win more duels.
How Wirtz is improving his game off the pitch
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, December 8, 2025: Liverpool's Florian Wirtz during a training session at the AXA Training Centre ahead of the UEFA Champions League match between FC Internazionale Milano and Liverpool FC. (Photo by Jessica Hornby/Propaganda)
Speaking to journalists including the Liverpool Echo‘s Paul Gorst before the game, Slot outlined the work Wirtz and a number of others have put in away from the pitch to aid their adjustment.
“It takes a lot, a lot, a lot of effort for him to play in this intensity but he is getting used to it. That is my take,” he explained.
“A lot of them have grown in kilograms, in muscle. That’s one thing.”
Wirtz’s development in terms of his physicality is clear in his work off the ball; he is no longer as easily shrugged off and he is arguably one of Liverpool’s most effective pressers.
And speaking to LFCTV after the win, the No. 7 expressed his belief that he was “getting better every week.”
“I think I had a few good situations,” he explained. “I got into some good positions to create something dangerous for goals.
“It’s getting better every week, I can feel this on the pitch and it makes me happy that I can enjoy the football.”
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