Neil Mellor claims ‘world-class’ Liverpool player has now given Arne Slot a ‘problem’ | OneFootball

Neil Mellor has claimed that the performances of one ‘world-class’ Liverpool player have presented Arne Slot with a ‘problem’ at Anfield.

Florian Wirtz was the star of the show for the Reds as they returned to winning ways in the 2-0 victory over West Ham on Sunday, with Jamie Carragher even drawing comparisons with Kevin De Bruyne in how he used the ball.

While the 22-year-old has occasionally played out wide since joining LFC, he was used in his favoured number 10 role at the weekend, with Dominik Szoboszlai moving out to the right as Mo Salah was dropped, and the adjustment had the desired effect for the Merseysiders.

Mellor: ‘World-class’ Wirtz must play as a number 10

Speaking with Sammy Lee on the Official Liverpool FC Podcast, Mellor was insistent that Wirtz needs to play in a central position, even if it presents Slot with a dilemma in terms of his midfield selection.

The former Reds striker said: “That is his position. He is a 10. He can play off the left and the right but he is a 10. You [Lee] mentioned Bobby Firmino in those sort of pockets of space, how many times in the game – and West Ham have been working to be solid and stop the space – he finds space.

“That is what Wirtz is. The manager has got a problem because Szoboszlai has been brilliant playing higher up. Wirtz as a 10 is a world-class player so how do you fit him, Szoboszlai, [Alexis] Mac [Allister] and [Ryan] Gravenberch? I don’t know but he was brilliant as a 10.”

(Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Slot will appreciate having the choice to make

Mellor is right in saying that Slot could have a headache in the long-term regarding how to best fit that quartet into the Liverpool starting XI, although it poses an opportunity rather than a problem for upcoming matches.

With Salah due to leave for the Africa Cup of Nations later this month, the head coach now knows that the formula of Gravenberch and Mac Allister in the engine room, Wirtz as a 10 and Szoboszlai on the right can work wonders.

Also, with the Reds having three tough fixtures in the next eight days, the scope to rotate for those games is something the boss will welcome. Some of his regular starters might benefit from being taken out of the XI for one match so that their workload is managed effectively.

What was clear from Sunday is that, as Mellor says, the Germany international is at his best in a central role where he can exploit pockets of space and link the midfield and attack with clever passes. For now, it looks as though that position is his.

Slot may have a dilemma in terms of his midfield selection in future months, but that’s still much preferable to being left worryingly short of options and having to deploy players out of position or throw in promising but untested youngsters at the deep end before they’re properly ready.

You can watch Slot’s full post-West Ham press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube: