Wirtz has ‘great opportunity’ to silence Neville criticism

Jamie Carragher has said that Florian Wirtz will soon have the ideal opportunity to answer some stinging criticism from Gary Neville earlier in the season.

When Liverpool lost 3-0 away to Manchester City in November, the ex-Man United defender bluntly stated that the German playmaker – who the Reds signed in a £116m deal last summer – ‘looked like a little boy‘ at the Etihad Stadium that evening.

However, ahead of the return fixture at Anfield next Sunday, the 22-year-old is in a rich vein of form, having scored six goals and set up another two in his 10 appearances since Christmas Day (Transfermarkt).

Carragher urges Wirtz to silence previous Neville criticism

Speaking on Sky Sports‘ Monday Night Football, Carragher referenced the turnaround in Wirtz’ fortunes since Liverpool’s defeat to Pep Guardiola’s side three months ago, citing next weekend as the perfect chance for the German to make a real statement in a high-profile Premier League fixture.

The former Reds defender said: “When I’m talking about a slow start, one of the games that really stands out was Manchester City away. Gary Neville said on commentary – and rightly so – that he looked like a little boy out there.

“He’s now got Manchester City at Anfield. He’s now really confident. He’s got this partnership and combination with [Hugo] Ekitike.

“He’s gone from a little boy, as we said earlier in the season – you have to take your criticism when you cost that amount of money – but I think it’s a great opportunity to shove those words down Gary Neville’s throat!”

Wirtz has well and truly answered some of his harshest critics

It was undoubtedly disappointing that it took Wirtz until after Christmas to net his first goal for Liverpool, especially after the Reds had spent so much money on a player who’d proven he can score regularly at a high level, but some criticism of the 22-year-old was way over the top.

Has it really been just over two months since Didi Hamann made the baffling claim that our number 7 should be sent out on loan in January? Yes, the goals weren’t flowing at the time, but that was never going to happen so soon after he’d been signed for a nine-figure fee.

Kopites had seen plenty of positive signs from the Germany playmaker before his recent goalscoring streak, and now that he’s added the end product to his obvious talents, pundits in this country are rightly recognising his ‘elite’ qualities.

The Man City game next Sunday would be the ideal occasion for Wirtz to net a decisive goal and put in a starring performance in a high-profile fixture that, if Liverpool win, would represent a huge fillip in our bid for Champions League qualification.

If he and Ekitike hit the heights that they’ve scaled in recent weeks as a double act, the Reds have every chance of exacting revenge for their Etihad mauling in November!