Arne Slot and Virgil Van Dijk back Florian Wirtz amid pressure over slow Liverpool start | OneFootball

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot and captain Virgil van Dijk have moved to defend Florian Wirtz (22) following mounting scrutiny over the German midfielder’s underwhelming start to life at Anfield.

The 22-year-old arrived from Bayer Leverkusen in a £116m deal this summer, part of Liverpool’s record £446m transfer outlay, but has yet to score or assist in seven Premier League appearances or two Champions League outings. As the Reds prepare to face Manchester United this Sunday, both Slot and Van Dijk urged patience, stressing that adaptation takes time.

“If you’ve been brought in for so much money, people look only at goals and assists,” Slot told Sky Sports. “But I can tell you he could be on six or seven assists already. He’s been a bit unlucky, the passes are there, the finishing hasn’t followed. For a 22-year-old moving to a new league, this is quite normal.”

Slot drew parallels with Kevin De Bruyne’s early struggles in England, noting that “even one of the best midfielders ever needed time.” The Dutchman also insisted Wirtz would continue to feature prominently: “He has to play, and he will play. The more he does, the faster we’ll see his best.”

Van Dijk echoed his manager’s sentiments, emphasising the human side of high-profile transfers. “When you come in for big money, you need to feel settled, your family, your home, your surroundings,” he said. “That’s when you perform. In football, and in life, you need time to adjust.”

Liverpool enter the United clash after three straight defeats, and Slot has demanded a reaction. Yet amid the noise, the club’s leadership appears determined to shield their record signing, confident that patience will yield the player’s immense potential.

GFN | Finn Entwistle