Florian Wirtz was warned he must enhance his game just minutes before he suffered an injury blow as the Reds prepared to face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League
15:55, 22 Feb 2026
Florian Wirtz suffered an injury ahead of the Nottingham Forest game
Florian Wirtz suffered an injury ahead of the Nottingham Forest game(Image: Getty Images)
Florian Wirtz has been told he needs to step up his game, just as Liverpool faces a fresh injury setback.
Wirtz got off to a slow start following his high-profile summer move from Bayer Leverkusen, but his influence at Liverpool has steadily grown. The Germany international has tallied four goals and three assists in his last 13 Premier League appearances.
He was Liverpool’s standout offensive performer in the recent league win over Sunderland, and even without scoring or assisting, earned praise from Steven Gerrard, who drew comparisons to Zinedine Zidane. Wirtz has also bulked up to handle the physical demands of the English top flight, increasingly justifying the £100 million-plus fee Liverpool invested in him last summer.
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Former Reds defender Jamie Carragher believes that Wirtz is now showing his true quality but still needs some improvement to achieve success at Liverpool.
"In the second half of the season, Wirtz has been fantastic," said Carragher on Sky Sports.
"But he still doesn't have the numbers to back it up. But you still love to watch him play football. There's no doubt we're seeing his real quality now. He's influencing the game.
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 22: Florian Wirtz of Liverpool looks on during the warm up prior to the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool at City Ground on February 22, 2026 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Florian Wirtz is showing his true quality according to Jamie Carragher(Image: Getty Images)
"At Sunderland, no one had won there before. He didn't get the goal or the assist, but if you watch that game, he was the best player on the pitch.
"Wirtz and Ekitike are doing well at the moment. But you feel they would need to go up another level to get Liverpool back in the title race next season."
Liverpool was forced into a last-minute change ahead of its clash with Nottingham Forest, as Wirtz pulled out of the starting lineup.
The Germany international had been named to start at the City Ground by manager Arne Slot, but an injury sustained during the warm-up forced his withdrawal just before kick-off.
As a result, Curtis Jones was called into the starting XI, having originally been set to start on the bench following two changes from last weekend’s FA Cup win over Brighton.
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Wirtz was seen leaving the pitch while speaking with Liverpool’s coaching staff, but the club has yet to provide an update on the nature of his injury.
Reacting to Wirtz being ruled out, Carragher told Sky Sports: "It's a big blow. He's been the one knitting everything together. Curtis Jones is more of a central midfield player. So you'd wonder if Jones sits alongside Gravenberch and Mac Allister steps up into the No 10."
Slot will be hoping Wirtz’s injury is short-term, as Liverpool is already dealing with multiple injury concerns across the squad.