Florian Wirtz Creates Nine Chances in Win at Brentford but Style Debates Persist
· Sports · BBC Sport
Florian Wirtz created nine chances from open play during Liverpool's win at Brentford, matching a Premier League record last achieved by Sadio Mane in January 2021. The 23-year-old playmaker has faced criticism and questions regarding his form after Liverpool paid a club-record £116m to Bayer Leverkusen for him in June 2025. Liverpool bounced back from their first league defeat of the season against Manchester City by securing a 2-0 victory against a 10-man Brentford side in west London. Despite Wirtz's standout statistics, BBC Sport pundit and former midfielder Danny Murphy argued that deploying Wirtz as a number 10 leaves the team too exposed defensively. Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard also suggested this week that Wirtz could benefit from being temporarily removed from the starting lineup to regain confidence.
Why it matters
The tactical balance of manager Andoni Iraola's side remains under scrutiny as Liverpool attempt to integrate their record-signing playmaker while maintaining defensive stability in the Premier League.
Read the original report — BBC Sport
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