Florian Wirtz Shines in Liverpool’s Much-Needed Win Over West Ham | OneFootball

West Ham 0 – 2 Liverpool – PL Man of the Match

Man of the Match: Florian Wirtz

Sometimes a player produces a performance that does more than simply influence a match — it reframes the conversation around what a team should be. On a day when Liverpool desperately needed direction and composure, Florian Wirtz delivered exactly that. This wasn’t just the best individual outing of the afternoon; it was a reminder of what this side has been missing all season: a conductor with both imagination and authority.

From the opening minutes, Wirtz carried himself like the one player fully immune to the psychological fog that has engulfed this Liverpool squad. His natural ability to control the flow of possession, manipulate space, and dictate tempo brought a level of calm that has been painfully absent. Every touch had purpose. Every movement opened a lane. Every decision felt like it belonged to a footballer who operates at a higher level than the chaos around him.

A Player Liverpool Must Build Around

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — Wirtz is not someone you simply fit into a system. He is someone you build the system around. His gifts demand it. And this match showcased precisely why.

Wirtz thrives when he has a strong, dominant midfield behind him — players who win duels, protect transitions, and give him the freedom to find pockets of space. He also requires intelligent movement ahead of him, the type that forces defenders to make choices they don’t want to make. When he gets those conditions, he doesn’t just play well — he elevates everyone around him.

Against West Ham, that blueprint briefly emerged. With Gravenberch stabilising, Mac Allister progressing possession sensibly, and Isak providing runs that stretched the backline, Wirtz finally looked like the player Liverpool believed they were signing: a world-class technician capable of unlocking any defensive scheme.

This cannot be seen as a one-off. This must become the framework.

A Fragile Season Needs His Brilliance

Liverpool is in a precarious moment: crestfallen, inconsistent, and miles short of last season’s authority. If this team is to rediscover itself, Wirtz must be at the heart of it. His creativity, intelligence, and composure represent the foundation upon which a new identity can be rebuilt.

With two critical matches looming and the manager walking a tightrope, Liverpool simply cannot afford to rotate brilliance out of the lineup. Wirtz must start, must lead, and must be empowered. Because in the next week, his form could very well define the fate of the season — and perhaps even the future of the man in the dugout.

A genuine star. A vital performance. And the clearest sign yet of how Liverpool should evolve from here.

Steven Smith’s Pre-match Prediction;

West Ham 3 – 1 Liverpool