Gary Neville tears into Liverpool star after Man City nightmare - 'It's a problem'
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Daily Mirror IconSportFootballGary NevilleLiverpool's Florian Wirtz had another below par outing in the defeat at Manchester City and Gary Neville insists the German playmaker is a major issue that needs to be addressedGary Neville admitted it was time to stop "tiptoeing around" Florian Wirtz after another below par Liverpool showing with the pundit confessing he "looked like a little boy".The summer arrival, who was the British-record signing for a period, has struggled to make an impact since moving to Anfield for a mammoth £116million. The change hasn't improved his fortunes and he struggled for impact as the Reds were hammered at Manchester City.Neville admits Wirtz's age profile and lack of experience in England meant that heavy criticism hadn't come his way, but after another difficult outing it was time to concede that the German was an issue for the Reds.He said on the Gary Neville Podcast: "Wirtz is a problem.
He's £100m+, and to be fair, I said a few weeks ago [Milos] Kerkez looked like a little boy out there. That can't be the case."READ MORE: Liverpool handed Virgil van Dijk goal verdict as Wayne Rooney takes aim after Man City defeatREAD MORE: Jamie Carragher raises referee suspicion as Virgil van Dijk controversy stuns Liverpool"We've been tiptoeing around him for a few months, around the fact that he's young, he's coming to a new country, but he's £100m+, you're going to have to stand up soon.
He's obviously got something, he's a really good player, he's technically fantastic, but he's been mauled out there today by Matheus Nunes and by others. He's been chucked around the pitch, and didn't deliver on the quality side of things as well, so his performance was a real worry."Wirtz was part of a mammoth summer investment at Anfield, which ended with them breaking the British transfer record for a second time with the addition of Alexander Isak - who is also struggling for form early in his Reds career.Neville insists that Slot has to press on with Wirtz given the money they've spent on him and the Liverpool boss has attempted to shuffle his frontline in an effort to find a winning formula."He's a Germany international of great standing, and he looks well short in respect of what you'd expect in a top physical Premier League match," added Neville."They've got to get him up to speed, they've got to get that little bit of tenacity into him, and that little bit of something that means he'll start to get into form, because what they have to do is stick with him and persist."Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content.