Liverpool Hit by Fresh Blow as Florian Wirtz Withdraws from Nottingham Forest Match with Injury

Liverpool suffered a significant last-minute injury setback ahead of their Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. Star midfielder Florian Wirtz, the in-form German international and recent summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen, was initially named in manager Arne Slot's starting lineup but was forced to withdraw after sustaining an injury during the warm-up.[1][2][3]

Wirtz, who has been in excellent form this season with six goals and eight assists in 35 appearances across all competitions, arrived at the stadium appearing fit and ready to feature. However, he was seen speaking with a Liverpool staff member on the pitch about what seemed like a minor issue, only for the 22-year-old to be pulled from the XI moments before kickoff. The club confirmed the change via their matchday blog and social media, stating simply: "A late change to our starting line-up, with Curtis Jones stepping in for Florian Wirtz."[1][2][3]

This marks a fresh blow for Liverpool, as Wirtz has been remarkably durable, missing just two matches all season—both home defeats, including a 3-0 loss to Forest earlier this year. His absence prompted Slot to reshuffle, with Jones slotting into the lineup alongside Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Salah, Nunez (or similar, per reports), Ekitike, and Gravenberch. Substitutes included Gomez, Robertson, and others.[2][3]

Fans and pundits are hoping for a precautionary withdrawal rather than a serious problem, given Wirtz's importance to the squad and his growing influence since December, where all seven of his Premier League contributions have occurred. Updates from Slot are expected post-match, but the timing could not have been worse for the Reds in their push up the table.[3][4]

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