Gerrard Slams Wirtz After Liverpool’s Shock Anfield Defeat
Liverpool, October 19, 2025 – Liverpool’s crumbling title defense suffered another blow as Manchester United stunned Anfield 2–1 on Sunday, prompting Steven Gerrard, the club’s legendary former captain, to publicly call out Florian Wirtz as the main culprit. Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, the 45-year-old, now in advanced talks to return as Rangers manager, did not hold back:
“You don’t need me to tell you who’s at fault—you saw it yourself. It’s clear who’s to blame. And it’s proof he’s tired of staying at Liverpool.”
Gerrard’s ire targeted the £100 million German winger, branding his performance “a total flop” and urging manager Arne Slot to act decisively to arrest Liverpool’s alarming slide.
The defeat, Liverpool’s fourth in six Premier League games, left the Reds in fourth place with 15 points from 10 matches, nine behind leaders Manchester City. Anfield had roared early as Mohamed Salah curled home a 12th-minute opener from Alexis Mac Allister’s pass, but United hit back quickly. Bryan Mbeumo’s 18th-minute poacher’s goal, aided by a controversial non-call over Mac Allister’s head injury, set the tone. Bruno Fernandes’ 67th-minute VAR penalty and Kobbie Mainoo’s 82nd-minute counter sealed the upset, exposing flaws in Slot’s high-line 4-2-3-1.
Wirtz, deployed on the left wing, was largely invisible: 29 touches, zero key passes, 11 lost possessions, and a halftime substitution after United exploited Conor Bradley’s flank. In 10 starts, he has just one assist, zero goals, and a 22% dribble success rate, far below his Bayer Leverkusen peak.
Whispers of discontent surround Wirtz, with German media reporting frustration over Slot’s rotations and potential Bundesliga interest. Gerrard compared the situation to his own managerial decisions at Rangers, emphasizing the need to bench underperformers to spark results:
“Liverpool’s badge demands sacrifice—Wirtz isn’t showing it. Slot has talent waiting: Elliott, Bajcetic, Stephenson. Pull the plug.”
Fan unrest is growing: #WirtzOut trended with 350,000 posts, while #SlotOut hit 200,000, and attendance dipped to 58,500. Ex-Red Ryan Babel and pundit Danny Murphy echoed Gerrard’s critique. Slot, however, defended his player in the post-match presser, stressing adaptation.
With a Champions League clash against Milan looming and a critical Premier League trip to Arsenal approaching, Liverpool face a pivotal week. Gerrard’s warning is blunt and clear: act now, or risk letting last season’s glory fade.
