Florian Wirtz will celebrate his 23rd birthday on Sunday when Liverpool go to Manchester United
Florian Wirtz during the match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Anfield on April 25, 2026 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)
Florian Wirtz during the match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Anfield on April 25, 2026 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)
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Florian Wirtz turns 23 on Sunday, and if he's looking for a stage upon which to come of age as a Liverpool player, then the 'Theatre of Dreams' might well be it.
That nickname for Old Trafford may have been heard less and less during Manchester United's barren last decade-and-a-half, but visits down the East Lancs Road still take on huge significance in Liverpool circles. Goals and moments there matter.
Mohamed Salah knows that having scored no fewer than 16 goals in his 18 appearances against United down the years, but in the absence of the Egyptian then Wirtz is going to be turned to to provide the artistry on Sunday, and could do worse than watch footage of another Liverpool player who danced across that same turf as a 23-year-old a decade ago.
'A perfect goal'
"Phil had a genius moment," said Jurgen Klopp.
"It was a brilliant moment and it decided the game tonight. He had a lot of good moments and he had a big chance before the goal. It was brilliant what he did. It was unexpected. It was a perfect goal."
It was shortly before half-time when Philippe Coutinho had taken the ball from Emre Can on the left flank at Old Trafford, level with the edge of the penalty area. Liverpool were 1-0 down on the night but 2-1 up on aggregate in the last-16 of the Europa League in March 2016, as English football's grandest rivalry was given a European twist.
If United could get to half-time of this second meeting at 1-0 up they'd be perfectly set up to attack the second half, but - with this being the days of away goals - a strike for the visitors would leave the hosts needing three. And what a strike it was.
Coutinho squared up young United defender Guillermo Varela, breezed past him and then bore down on David de Gea's goal, but surely he wouldn't shoot from there? Adam Lallana was haring toward the six yard box, Daniel Sturridge was loitering on the edge of the box and asking for the ball, and Roberto Firmino - perhaps more aware than most about what was about to happen - was at the back post.
All three then watched as Coutinho deftly lifted the ball over De Gea, who had come out to meet him. With a deft flash of genius, the tie was over.
'Why not?'
"I had the chance to be face to face with De Gea and I've tried this kind of thing before in training, so I thought 'why not?'," the Brazilian would say after the final whistle.
"Luckily, it came off. You could say that this was one of my best goals in a Liverpool shirt, but once again, all that counts is the team, and this evening the team performed at a very high level, creating several chances and showing how strong we are."
At the time Coutinho was just approaching the peak of his powers at the age of 23. As Liverpool's main man in the first iteration of Klopp's team, he would score 12 goals this season and 14 in the following one. In 2017/18, the campaign in which he joined Barcelona for a dizzying £142m, he managed 22 goals across the campaign with both of his clubs.
There was a brief period where he became one of the best players in the game, and it many ways it started when he grasped that moment in Manchester.
'100% sure'
And so as Wirtz makes his Old Trafford bow for Liverpool, he has a perfect template to follow in the form of Coutinho, a player who grasped a big game and took it away from the Reds' rivals.
After his slow start the German has seven goals and 10 assists in his maiden season in English football, but given that none of those have come against a side currently in the European places, there is a moment waiting to be written.
“I don’t only hope that, I am 100% sure he will," said Arne Slot at his press conference on Friday.
"For me it is a coincidence, we have to play three more who are in those positions (the European places) so that gives him three more chances to do this.
"The development Florian has made throughout his Liverpool career, which has only been 10 months, is so clear and obvious: 93rd minute against Crystal Palace making a duel on the sideline, winning a throw-in and then making a sprint from 40 yards and hitting the ball in the top corner, that is something I am not completely convinced he could do the same eight months ago."
Up to speed with the league then, and entering the highest profile fixture played within it from the start for the first time.
When Liverpool faced Manchester United at Anfield in October Wirtz began the game on the bench, but if he follows Coutinho's lead then the birthday boy could be the main event of this one.