The wait lasted 190 days. More than six months after signing, approaching half-time in his 23rd appearance, with the 27th shot he attempted as a Liverpool player, Florian Wirtz scored. It is safe to say they did not expect the £100m buy to open his account in the bitter Christmas cold but his drought explained the reaction at Anfield. “I am quite sure it was a relief for him,” said Arne Slot.
There was further relief when the final whistle went as Liverpool laboured to victory against bottom-of-the-table Wolves; it transpired that Wirtz delivered the decider whereas, when he scored, a rout felt feasible. There was a significance for the side and for the statement signing who, with his slow start to life at Anfield, became a symbolic figure in unwanted ways.
But flawed as this victory was, it was secured by summer signings, with Wirtz’s goal accompanied by assists for two more of the class of 2025. It is far from enough to render Liverpool’s £450m spending spree a success but that signified a step in the right direction for the newcomers.
And for Wirtz, in particular. There were delectable touches against Wolves, moments of deft footwork, chances created by artistry; evidence that Liverpool will not come to rue their investment. “He was special in a lot of moments,” Slot said. But, as he accepted, a goal was required. “In football, individuals get judged on goals and assists and we sometimes forget what else is there,” the Liverpool head coach added. “I think he has multiple good games but I also think he is getting better every game and is getting closer and closer to his first goal and it is not a surprise he scores today. He will be the first to understand that one goal is not enough. He will go on and score many more goals than one for us.”
Wirtz’s return of 34 goals in his last two seasons for Bayer Leverkusen suggests as much. He had thought he got a first for Liverpool against Sunderland, but it went down as a Nordi Mukiele own goal. He was not to be denied again. “I was confident that I would score one day,” he said, after that day finally arrived. “I wanted to start earlier scoring and assisting but it was like this.”
That belated goal represented something of a role reversal: Hugo Ekitike with the defence-splitting pass, Wirtz the furthest man forward to slide a shot under Jose Sa. They had combined in a more conventional manner earlier, with the German providing an incisive ball and the Frenchman digging out a shot that hit the post. “Florian did more than only score today,” added Slot.
Another arrival forged an opener that had a touch of double Dutch: Jeremie Frimpong surging to the byline to cut the ball back for Ryan Gravenberch to drive in a shot. After Hugo Ekitike’s strike at Tottenham, it was a second goal in a week that was made by Frimpong, though a first to earn him an assist. “Pace, that is so important,” said Slot, noting the right-back’s acceleration.
Before then, Alexis Mac Allister had swivelled to shoot against the post, via the hand of Sa, though the presence of the offside Federico Chiesa meant a goal would surely have been chalked off. But Liverpool had been too slow and static at the start and felt too fragile by the end.
It became a seventh game unbeaten; in the Premier League, they have 14 points from the last 18 available. But the facts can paint an overly flattering picture. They made heavy weather of beating a team who have now made the longest winless start to a top-flight season since 1902-03.
There was the familiar frailty when Liverpool were put under pressure at the back. Nine-man Tottenham might have taken a point against the champions. So could doomed Wolves. They got a goal, and in somewhat predictable fashion. “We are almost the only team that doesn’t score in a set-piece and even worse we always concede,” said Slot.
A 12th set-piece concession of the campaign came when Santiago Bueno prodded in the rebound after Tolu Arokadare towered above Ibrahima Konate and had a header parried by Alisson. It stemmed from Andre’s corner.
And Alisson had to make a couple of saves from Mateus Mane, who was, manager Rob Edwards said, “a real shining light” on his maiden Premier League start. The unmarked Arokadare headed over. Conor Bradley had to make a brilliant challenge on Jhon Arias. Liverpool lacked conviction and control.
Meanwhile, Wolves were first organised and diligent, then energetic in their search for an equaliser. They held out for 40 minutes and then conceded two in two. As at Arsenal, they lost by a lone goal, but they remain rooted on two points, neither procured under Edwards.
“Another loss,” he said. “I said to the lads, I am getting really fed up of this and they are hurting as well. But in the second half, there was a team that was brave and showed quality against a top team.”
Off the pitch, Wolves acquitted themselves well, too. They had paid their respects to Diogo Jota at his memorial. “A real poignant moment,” said Edwards. Jota’s sons, Dinis and Duarte, were mascots; Virgil van Dijk cut a protective figure as he passed to them in the warm-up. The 20th-minute rendition of the forward’s song was applauded by the Wolves fans. “The football world showed how to behave,” said Slot.
