Arne Slot Praises Florian Wirtz’s Performance in Liverpool’s Victory

Arne Slot has lauded Florian Wirtz’s performance during Liverpool’s 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, describing it as “special.” He expressed that the midfielder is now “relieved” after netting his inaugural goal for the club.

Wirtz, who transferred to Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for an initial fee of £100 million this summer, had faced scrutiny due to his limited attacking contributions. However, the 22-year-old player doubled Liverpool’s lead against Wolves, following an earlier goal from Ryan Gravenberch. Despite a second-half header from Santiago Bueno, the Reds secured their fourth consecutive win across all competitions.

“I am quite sure it was a relief for him,” Slot remarked regarding Wirtz’s scoring. “His reaction upon scoring was evident, and his teammates were equally delighted for him. In football, we are often judged by results, and individuals frequently by goals and assists, which can overshadow the other significant contributions during a match.

“I believe he has delivered several strong performances for us and continues to improve with each game. He is becoming fitter and closer to his best form, so it’s no surprise that he found the back of the net today. He understands that one goal is merely a starting point, and I hope he can score many more for us. I was also impressed by his overall performance in many moments of the game.”

Liverpool’s win against Wolves propels them to fifth place in the league, though Slot acknowledged that his team has areas to enhance to maintain their ascent in the standings.

“Naturally, leading 2-0 at halftime leads you to expect a different second half than the one we experienced today. A single goal can shift momentum, and we observed that today,” Slot said. “While we maintained possession after conceding the second goal, the game became much more balanced, and we were on edge each time they approached our goal. However, I don’t believe we allowed them many significant opportunities.

“Overall, I witnessed a team fighting to secure the win, not necessarily with their best football, but with commendable determination.”