Florian Wirtz: Liverpool’s £100m summer signing a problem for Arne Slot, according to Gary Neville | Football News

Florian Wirtz is a problem for Liverpool and “looked like a little boy” in the 3-0 defeat at Manchester City, according to Gary Neville.

Wirtz, a £100m summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen, has struggled to adapt to the Premier League and is yet to register a single goal or assist after 11 games in the competition.

Neville says patience is running thin for the 22-year-old to deliver on his promise after Wirtz had “a really bad day” in the heavy loss at City, which leaves the champions eighth after 11 games.

“Wirtz is a problem,” the Sky Sports pundit said on the Gary Neville podcast.

“Let’s just call it as it is. It’s an issue. He’s £100m+, and to be fair, I said a few weeks ago [Milos] Kerkez looked like a little boy out there. Today I thought Wirtz looked like a little boy. That can’t be the case.”

He added: “We’ve been tiptoeing around him for a few months, around the fact that he’s young, he’s coming to a new country, but he’s £100m+, you’re going to have to stand up soon.

“He’s obviously got something, he’s a really good player, he’s technically fantastic, but he’s been mauled out there today by Matheus Nunes and by others.

“He’s been chucked around the pitch, and didn’t deliver on the quality side of things as well, so his performance was a real worry.”

Neville says Liverpool have to find a way to bring the best out of Wirtz, who has looked more at home in the Champions League since moving to Anfield.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot, who started using Wirtz centrally, has restored him to his favoured left-wing position over the last two games. He impressed against Real Madrid but went back into his shell at City.

“He’s a Germany international of great standing, and he looks well short in respect of what you’d expect in a top physical Premier League match,” added Neville.

“They’ve got to get him up to speed, they’ve got to get that little bit of tenacity into him, and that little bit of something that means he’ll start to get into form, because what they have to do is stick with him and persist.”