Manager praises German midfielder’s all-round contribution after match-winning strike against Wolves, urging fans to look beyond statistics.
LIVERPOOL — Liverpool manager Arne Slot has backed record signing Florian Wirtz to build on his first goal for the club, insisting the German midfielder will “score many more” following his decisive contribution in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Wirtz, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen in June for a reported £100 million, broke a 20-appearance scoring drought with the 64th-minute winner at Molineux, sparking visible relief among players and staff.
“I’m quite sure it was a relief for him,” Slot told reporters post-match. “You could see it in his reaction — and the same with his teammates. They were really happy for him.”
The Dutch coach defended Wirtz’s early-season performances, which he argued had been unfairly judged due to modern football’s overemphasis on goals and assists.
“In football we mainly get judged on results, and individuals on goals and assists,” Slot said. “Sometimes we forget what else there is to do during a game. He’s had multiple good games for us, but I feel he gets better every single game.”
Slot highlighted Wirtz’s growing fitness and influence, predicting further improvement from the 22-year-old as he adapts to the Premier League.
“It was no surprise he scored today, but he knows one goal is not enough. He will score many more for us,” Slot added. “I liked his performance today — he was special in a lot of moments.”
The victory moved fourth-placed Liverpool to within five points of league leaders Manchester City ahead of their New Year’s Day fixture against Leeds United at Anfield.
