Richard Keys has raised eyebrows with a sharp theory about Florian Wirtz after the £116 million signing was left out of Liverpool’s starting XI for the Merseyside Derby.
The German playmaker had started the Reds’ last four Premier League fixtures but has struggled to make an impact since swapping Bayer Leverkusen for Anfield. His muted performances against Newcastle and Arsenal highlighted the adaptation challenges he faces in English football.
After starting in midweek against Atletico Madrid, Wirtz was benched by manager Arne Slot for the derby clash with Everton. Naturally, the omission dominated pre-match debate.
On beIN SPORTS, Keys asked pundits Jason McAteer and Andy Gray:
“Does that mean he [Wirtz] doesn’t have the tools that are required to play in the hurly burly of the Premier League when games matter?”
McAteer suggested the decision was tactical given the physicality of David Moyes’ Everton side, but Keys pressed the point further, questioning whether Wirtz’s struggles against Arsenal hinted at a deeper issue.
Slot Explains His Decision
Speaking to TNT Sports, Arne Slot explained that Wirtz’s benching was a matter of managing workloads during a congested schedule:
“The same thinking as Mac Allister on the bench against Atletico. It’s three games in seven days. This is one of the most intense games we have to play, so we try to manage it. Szoboszlai is more used to the intensity of the Premier League than Florian coming from Germany. So it’s only to do with so many games in limited time. I think he will feature, but not from the start.”
Wirtz is also expected to be rotated for Liverpool’s Carabao Cup tie against Southampton next Tuesday, but he will be targeting a return when the Reds face Crystal Palace on September 27.
For now, the questions remain: is this simply fixture management—or a sign that Wirtz still has much to prove in adapting to the Premier League?
