LIVERPOOL 2-1 WOLVES: Florian Wirtz picked the perfect moment to plunder his first Premier League goal as Arne Slot's men put hapless Wolves to the sword at Anfield
Florian Wirtz is finally off the mark for Liverpool after scoring in their 2-1 win over Wolves
Florian Wirtz is finally off the mark for Liverpool after scoring in their 2-1 win over Wolves
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(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA)
Almost five months and well over 20 games into his Liverpool career, it was time for him to show up. Against whipping boys as hapless as the Premier League has seen for a good while, it was time for him to show he is worth £16million, never mind the £116million he is eventually going to cost Liverpool.
Without the Mohamed Salah sideshow, it was time for Florian Wirtz to flourish. Correction. Wrong word. With his jaw-dropping interview at Elland Road that day, Salah ensured he remains a headline act but not necessarily for the right reasons.
Now, though, he is out of sight, if not out of mind, and it is time for others to take centre-stage. In particular, it is time for Wirtz to show why he is seen as a generational German talent.
And while this was not a performance that fully justified the hype and price tag, at least it suggested the slight 22-year-old is adapting to the pace and physicality of the Premier League.
His formative Liverpool career has been a slow-burner, that is for sure. First Premier League assist on December 20, first Premier League goal on December 27. The first of his 17 Premier League games was in mid-August. He hit the ground stalling.
But with the caveat that it was against a team that came to Anfield with two points from 17 matches, this was probably Wirtz’s most accomplished display since his move from Bayer Leverkusen. As it happened, a fellow summer signing, Jeremie Frimpong, might have had a more important role in this home win, his burst of inspiration late in what had been a truly dreadful first half helping Liverpool make the breakthrough via Ryan Gravenberch’s neat finish.
But from Liverpool and Arne Slot’s point of view, the moment of the game arrived soon after when a bit of vision from Hugo Ekitike sent Wirtz clear and some nice control and a poked finish was the cue for some badge-tapping.
Florian Wirtz of Liverpool celebrates
Wirtz finally netted his first Liverpool goal against Wolves(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt/Getty Images)
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From there - undeservedly a couple ahead at half-time - this should have been a formality for Slot’s side but when Alisson blocked Tolu Arokodare’s header from an early second half corner, Santiago Bueno was on hand to give Wolves a lifeline.
Rob Edwards’ team did not grab it and that there is now no lifeline in the Premier League is pretty much beyond question. But once again, they did show a bit of spirit, they did show a bit of attacking incisiveness, they did show willing. They deserved the gratitude they got from their fans at the end of the game.
Wolves are certainly not great but they are maybe not as bad a couple of points and isolation at the bottom of the table suggest. And had substitute Conor Bradley not made a dramatic late defensive intervention, they could have turned those couple of points into three.
Instead, Liverpool collected their tenth win of the Premier League season but the manner of the victory did not suggest the champions are about to go on some sort of formidable charge. At least, though, the contribution of Wirtz - even if it tailed off in the final quarter of the contest - did suggest he is getting the hang of things.
Diogo Jota's children as mascots
Diogo Jota's children were mascots at Anfield and walked out with Virgil van Dijk
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(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
And when Slot decided to try and waste a little time midway through a five-minute period of time, Wirtz was given a very nice ovation when replaced by Trey Nyoni.
But the biggest, the most poignant, the most heart-breaking ovation of the day was given to the family of Diogo Jota as sons Dinis and Duarte clutched Virgil van Dijk’s hands and led out the teams their father had served with such distinction. No further words needed.
Other than to say that if and when Liverpool’s title defence is unsuccessful and if and when Wolverhampton Wanderers are relegated to the Championship, remember there should always be a bit of perspective.
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