Expert reveals the truth about Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz troubles amid Liverpool ‘shock’
Liverpool have endured a mixed start to the season so far with frustrations beginning to grow both on and off the pitch at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s side lost 2-1 to Man United on 19 October, with Harry Maguire scoring a header late on to secure United’s first win at Anfield since 2016.
That result means Liverpool have now lost four games in a row across all competitions, leading to heavy criticism of a number of their first-team regulars.
Mohamed Salah has been heavily criticised for his performances after a string of disappointing showings, while the likes of Virgil van Dijk have also been slammed.
After Liverpool spent £446million on summer signings, the expectation was that they would blow teams away with their high-value squad, but that has not been the case.
Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz causing concerns at Liverpool
Despite criticism surrounding a number of the first-team stars at Anfield, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak have taken the most stick from fans and neutrals alike.
The two summer signings, each of whom were British records at the time of their arrivals, are now causing major worries for Liverpool alongside their poor form.
That is according to former Man United and Sunderland chief scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that both players have received a “culture shock” since arriving at Anfield.
“Of course Liverpool have a few worries because of the money they spent,” he told Football Insider.
“For me, Wirtz is a bit of a luxury player, he can put the icing on the cake and turn a good side into a brilliant one when things are going well.
“The Premier League is a new demand altogether, you can’t afford to float through games because you’ll get lost, especially if the rest of the team aren’t performing.
“Sometimes it takes players a while to adjust to that, and it can take some longer than others.
“The criticism from supporters and neutrals doesn’t help, because the players aren’t given time.
“Isak, I think, is starting to find out the demands of playing for Liverpool with the added weight of expectation and pressure that comes along with that.
“This is no disrespect to Newcastle, but even if he had a poor game there, the fans would get behind him because they know what he can do.
“At Liverpool, it’s not about what you can do, it’s about what you are doing. That’s the difference.
“So it’s a bit of a culture shock for both players, and I’m convinced they’ll adjust eventually, but there’s no doubt it’s becoming a problem for Liverpool and for Slot.”
Arne Slot faces growing concerns at Liverpool
Brown told Football Insider on 20 October that Liverpool are concerned about their form under Slot, with the hierarchy expecting results to pick up immediately.
Upcoming fixtures against Eintracht Frankfurt, Brentford, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa will be key before they enter another difficult run of games.
In fact, inside the next three weeks, the Reds will face Palace, Villa, Real Madrid and Man City, all of whom have caused problems for Slot’s side in previous encounters.
This comes after Wayne Rooney criticised Slot’s side, insisting they have become complacent after last season’s success and their busy summer transfer window.
Despite having won each of their first seven games of the season, four defeats in a row is considered enough to pile pressure on any manager, with concerns now growing.
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