Wirtz opens up on frustrating Liverpool start, says he’s tired of hearing “give it time”

Florian Wirtz has opened up about his underwhelming start at Liverpool, arriving with enormous expectations after a £116 million move from Bayer Leverkusen this summer. The 22-year-old attacking midfielder has yet to register a goal or an assist in the Premier League or Champions League, leaving some observers to wonder when his impact will arrive. In an interview with Sky Germany, Wirtz said he would have liked to score and collect points already, but emphasized that he is staying cool and that no one has higher expectations than himself to deliver for Arne Slot's Liverpool. “Yes, of course I would have liked to have scored a goal or collected a few points. But no matter what anyone says, I’m staying cool,” he said, adding that there is nobody who expects more from him than he does and that the constant refrain of “give it time, give it time” wears on him. He insisted that he is simply focused on improving with each attempt and that the results will follow when the performances are right.

Wirtz was left on the bench for Saturday’s Merseyside derby clash and also rested for Tuesday’s Carabao Cup win over Southampton. The Germany international did come on as a substitute in the derby victory over Everton on Saturday, highlighting Liverpool’s ongoing process of integrating a record acquisition into the side’s dynamics.

The midfielder has stressed that he is not performing poorly, but simply needs to convert opportunities into tangible rewards. “Sometimes there are just phases where things aren't going well for you. I haven't had that very often in my career. Once I get through it—that might be harsh, because I’m not playing badly, I just haven’t got the points (goals and assists) yet — it will come at some point, and then everything will be fine. It’s no secret that I’d like to have more so far, but I’m patient, and as I just said, I know full well that I can play good football. Sooner or later, I’m sure that things will return to normal.” He added: “No matter what anyone says, I stay cool. I just try to do better every time than before.”

Liverpool will be afforded time to settle Wirtz in and hope he forges an effective partnership with Alexander Isak. The Swedish forward looks set to start for the Reds at Crystal Palace this weekend after Hugo Ekitike’s mindless two yellow cards against Southampton—one for volleying the ball away and another for removing his shirt after scoring the winner. Wirtz is learning to adapt to the pace and physicality of the Premier League, and the club will weigh whether he remains in the No. 10 role or moves to the left wing as manager Arne Slot solidifies his attacking options. Dominic Szoboszlai has been strong behind the striker in the derby, while Cody Gakpo has faced scrutiny for recent performances on the flank.

Liverpool head to Selhurst Park for a 3:00 p.m. BST kickoff against Crystal Palace on Saturday, followed by a challenging trip to Galatasaray in the Champions League next Tuesday. If Liverpool are to sustain momentum in both competitions, Wirtz’s opportunity to deliver will come at a crucial moment, and the club will be counting on him to turn potential into points as the season progresses.