Julian Nagelsmann seems to point finger at Liverpool star Florian Wirtz after mistake for Germany

Add as preferred source on Google

Florian Wirtz has been scapegoated for the first Slovakia goal as Germany suffered a 2-0 loss in the World Cup qualifier on Thursday.

The German media have slammed Wirtz after his uninspiring performance, as he had an altercation with opposition player Ondrej Duda after losing possession of the ball, which directly led to David Hancko’s opening goal in the 42nd minute.

Wirtz has dominated headlines since his blockbuster £116 million move to Anfield this summer, and it appears every single move is under the microscope.

He has yet to rediscover the form that earned him his move to the Reds, and naturally, given the big-money fee spent on his services, the Liverpool supporters will have hoped to catch a glimpse of the midfielder at his best for Germany.

Admittedly, Wirtz has struggled in the Premier League throughout the opening three fixtures, but his efforts for the German national side have sparked fresh concern.

Florian Wirtz’s position in Germany may be under threat

In his post-match interview following the loss to Slovakia, Julian Nagelsmann seemingly attributed blame to Wirtz, suggesting that none of his established starters are guaranteed to keep their place after the result.

“The whole team didn’t deliver. The performance was very poor. The opponent was far superior to us in terms of intensity – and then their quality shows. If we can’t get that right, we might as well give up.

“I don’t even have an explanation for this at the moment. Everyone should understand that we’re going to the World Cup and want to play a strong role there.

“We’ve selected the best players from Germany, but maybe we need to focus less on technical quality and bring in players who show more intensity. Everyone needs to understand that! I have confidence in my players, but this won’t work with the handbrake on.”

Although only three matches have been played in the Premier League this season, with Liverpool and Wirtz maintaining a perfect record heading into the international break it appears the £116m man faces a fight to overturn his fortunes for club and country.

Gary Neville claims Wirtz must remain calm for the Reds – the pundit believes the German will have more of a profound impact if he slowed down his game rather than maintaining a high-tempo throughout the 90 minutes.

However, Wirtz has looked short of confidence but did show a glimmer of what he can produce for the Reds when he emerged from the half-time interval during the 1-0 win against Arsenal.

He contributed 10 goals and 12 assists in his final year at Bayer Leverkusen which earned Wirtz a 2025 Ballon d’Or nomination – the quality is evident, and it is up to Arne Slot to find the best surefire way to help his new talisman find his feet at Anfield.

Liverpool supporters can watch Alexander Isak for the first time since his move

Wirtz stood as Liverpool’s record signing for less than two months before Alexander Isak completed his British record £125 million transfer from Newcastle United on deadline day.

Sweden will face Slovenia on Friday night in their first World Cup qualifier, and the Reds faithful will undoubtedly be tuning into the match to see their record signing in action.

While Wirtz may have left a lot to be desired on the pitch for Germany, he has another opportunity to impress when Germany play Northern Ireland on Sunday.

Slot and Co. will be hoping Isak produces a more worthwhile performance for his nation, and by full-time, Liverpool will have some clarity as to whether the Swede will be ready to start the clash against Burnley.