Liverpool and Sunderland clashed in a late Premier League kick-off on February 11, with Florian Wirtz among those to impress.
Liverpool went into the game knowing they needed to win to keep pace with the Champions League-chasing sides.
Fans praised Wirtz and Mohamed Salah during the tie, which the Reds grew into as the game wore on.
Who was Liverpool’s best player in the excellent win over Sunderland, and why?
What a win!
Sunderland v Liverpool - Premier League
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
In the end, it took a set-piece for Arne Slot’s side to open the scoring, with Virgil van Dijk’s headed effort from a corner put into the net by a Sunderland player.
Van Dijk may have opened the scoring on the night, but it was not the Dutchman whom Joe Cole praised.
Joe Cole praises Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike as Liverpool beat Sunderland
Instead, the former Liverpool midfielder was acting as a commentator for TNT Sports on Wednesday.
Speaking live on the night, Cole expressed his love for Wirtz.
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The German has gone from strength to strength this season and he’s now predicted to light up the Premier League for many years alongside Ekitike.
Cole said: “I love him. He’s a joy to watch. Him and Ekitike are going to light up the Premier League for many a year.”
What Florian Wirtz has said about Hugo Ekitike
After a slow start to life in England, the German has become one of Liverpool’s best players.
Now, Wirtz has commented on Ekitike and the partnership they are forming this season.
He said: “Yeah, I said it often already that it’s really a joy to play with him [Ekitike]. We have so many good players in the team. You can see that he’s one of the guys you like to watch.
“Even for me, I like to see him on the pitch and in training. It’s just fun to combine with him, he gives me a lot of assists already and I just try to help him also to achieve his goals.”
The duo have combined for six goals already this season, needing just one more to break a record set by Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard in 2002/03.
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