If there is one thing every Liverpool supporter knows about Jamie Carragher, it’s that he never holds back when he thinks an Anfield star isn't pulling his weight.
Following last weekend’s sobering 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, the Sky Sports pundit stuck the boot into Florian Wirtz with brutal honesty:
"I struggle to think of one game where he’s won Liverpool the game or he’s been the man. He was brought in to be a star of the Premier League. I felt he could be the Kevin De Bruyne that at times got Man City over the line."
"Wirtz has been here for 55-60 games, it’s a lot and I don’t see it changing. Wirtz where he’s almost nailed on that he plays every week in that No 10 position it has to stop. I think he needs to come out of the team, I said that last time out and I’m going to say it again."
Carragher didn't stop there, questioning the £116m playmaker's work rate off the ball and putting him in context with figures from Anfield past:
"He’s not giving you anything defensively and he’s not giving you anything going the other way. I don’t want anyone to pile in on the lad or have a go but I just think we’re justified in saying we need more and we can’t wait. I went back and looked at players who were deemed not good enough for Liverpool in terms of going to win a league title or a European Cup but had real impact in those positions. Players like Nicky Barmby, Vladimir Smicer, Yossi Benayoun, Maxi Rodriguez, Jari Litmanen, Philippe Coutinho, Steven Gerrard, Steve McManaman."
Thankfully for traveling Kopites at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday, Andoni Iraola doesn't take team selection advice from television studios.
Instead of dropping the 23-year-old German international, Iraola backed his main man in the No. 10 role and Wirtz responded with a historic performance that didn't just silence his critics, but etched his name alongside an all-time Liverpool legend.
Inside the numbers of a key pass masterclass
While Alexander Isak grabbed the headlines with his 70th-minute match-winner, it was Wirtz who ran the show in West London. On 60 minutes, the playmaker delivered a perfectly-weighted through ball to Victor Muñoz, who cut inside to slot home the equalizer and spark the Reds' comeback.
That assist was just the tip of the iceberg. Over 90 pulse-pounding minutes, Wirtz produced an astonishing nine chances created all from open play.
Since Opta data collection began in the 2003-04 season, no Liverpool player has ever created more key passes in a single Premier League fixture. Wirtz now shares the top spot in the club's record books with Sadio Mane, who also created nine open-play chances against Burnley back in January 2021.
Furthermore, Wirtz became:
- The first Premier League player to create nine chances in any game since Dejan Kulusevski for Spurs against Manchester United in 2024.
- The first player to create nine or more open-play chances in an away Premier League match since Samir Nasri for Manchester City against Tottenham all the way back in 2011.
Destroying the work-rate myth
For all the talk about his creative flair, the most damning part of Carragher's critique was the accusation that Wirtz slacks off without the ball.
The tracking data from the Gtech completely shatters that narrative:
- Distance Covered vs Brentford: Wirtz clocked up an incredible 13.4km—the highest distance covered by any player in a red shirt.
- Season Total: Wirtz leads Liverpool with 75.5km covered across the campaign, nearly 10km more than second-placed Milos Kerkez (65.7km).
- Per 90 Average: Wirtz averages 12.2km per 90 minutes, topping regular starters and sitting comfortably ahead of Alexis Mac Allister (11.4km).
Critics might point out that Brentford played with 10 men following Yehor Yarmolyuk's first-half headbutt on Jeremy Jacquet (and ended with nine after Vitaly Janelt's late dismissal). But you can only play what is in front of you and Wirtz used every inch of space to dictate terms.
His overall tally for Liverpool now stands at 20 direct goal involvements in 58 appearances (7 goals, 13 assists), including three assists in nine matches this season.
With Szoboszlai out of the double pivot, Wirtz's ability to carry the creative burden, drop deep to link play, and lead the team's pressing metrics becomes the bedrock of Iraola's midfield.
For young wide players like Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni, having a No. 10 who covers 13km a game and pulls defenders out of position creates the exact pockets of space they need to thrive.
Wirtz didn't just match Sadio Mane's record on Saturday; he showed the grit, stamina, and world-class vision that justifies every penny of his transfer fee. If this is the standard he sets heading into an autumn fixture pile-up, Jamie Carragher might be proved wrong.
.While he is still searching for his first goal since April’s 3-1 win over Crystal Palace, his display in West London was the definitive answer to those who claimed he couldn't control a Premier League match.
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