Liverpool returned to winning ways in the Premier League on Saturday with a hard-fought away victory against nine-man Brentford, bouncing back from their recent defeat against Manchester City. At the heart of the visitors' attacking efforts was German playmaker Florian Wirtz, who has faced criticism for struggling to match the form that justified his club-record £116m move from Bayer Leverkusen in June 2025. Former captain Steven Gerrard recently suggested that the 23-year-old might even benefit from being taken out of the starting lineup to regain his confidence.
Despite the ongoing scrutiny, Wirtz answered his critics with brilliant numbers during the match in west London, creating nine chances from open play—the most by any player in a single Premier League game over the past six seasons. He also completed 53 passes, registered 12 final-third entries, and provided an assist to help jumpstart Liverpool's comeback. With these contributions, Wirtz now shares the top spot for chances created in the Premier League this season alongside Brighton's Pascal Gross, having accumulated 18 in total.
However, his remarkable creativity came with defensive flaws that continue to fuel tactical debates among analysts. Wirtz lost possession 19 times—the second-highest among Liverpool players—and won only one of his nine duels during the match. BBC Sport pundit Danny Murphy argued that deploying Wirtz as a number 10 leaves the midfield exposed, making Iraola's side too easy to play against because the remaining midfielders have to cover excessive space.
The ongoing debate highlights the core dilemma for manager Andoni Iraola as he tries to accommodate his record signing without compromising team structure. While the team secured another valuable away victory, Murphy believes that moving to a three-man midfield instead of relying on a number 10 could provide the defensive solidity Liverpool currently lacks.
