Liverpool had what has felt like a rare positive day in the Premier League on Saturday as they marched to a 2-0 win over Fulham.
The performance still had room for improvement, with things getting a little twitchy during the second-half, but there was generally plenty for supporters to be pleased with.
One big piece of good news was the showing of Florian Wirtz, who ran the show and claimed an assist against the Cottagers. And according to former Liverpool player Ray Houghton, the win showcased exactly how Arne Slot can continue to get more from his £116m signing.
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Rio Ngumoha celebrates after scoring for Liverpool during their Premier League match against Fulham at Anfield (Credit: Getty Images/ANDY BUCHANAN /AFP).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Andy Buchanan/AFP
Wirtz needs to play alongside two wingers
Ever since news arrived that Liverpool were signing Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen in June, fans have been pondering just where he fits into the Reds’ XI.
Almost a full year on, and that question has still yet to be truly answered, with outings in attacking midfield, wide left and even in a centre-forward role leading to mixed results.
On Saturday, though, Wirtz looked at home while playing in something much more akin to an orthodox 4-2-3-1 formation.
According to Houghton, the presence of two genuine threats from wide was the reason for the German’s improvement, and should be something Liverpool look to replicate for the remainder of the campaign.
Florian Wirtz battles Timothy Castagne for the ball during Liverpool's Premier League match against Fulham at Craven Cottage
Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP via Getty Images
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“Liverpool played different to what they have done recently, because they had more width,” the Scotsman said on ‘The Reaction‘ from The Official Liverpool FC Podcast.
“With Rio on the left and Mo on the right, that was a bit like last season where we really spread teams. Their back four couldn’t go really narrow because you had two wingers, so they were always in half a position if you like.
“That made a difference today, we weren’t as narrow, and I thought that gave more room for Florian Wirtz and the midfielders. There was more space for them to get on the ball because it wasn’t all compact, we had that width. So, I thought that was an important issue today as well.”
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Liverpool v Fulham - Premier League
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Liverpool have, of course, played with this system before with Wirtz, but with Ngumoha perhaps hugging the touchline more than Cody Gakpo usually tends to, the No. 7 had one genuine outlet to either side of him when driving through the middle.
Getting the most out of Wirtz is going to be crucial to Liverpool for what is left of this season and far beyond, and whatever helps the Reds to do that most effectively should be deployed as often as possible.
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