Florian Wirtz hoping to extend unique record as Liverpool prepare for Burnley test
Florian Wirtz will be aiming to extend one of his more unique records as Liverpool travel to Burnley in the Premier League this weekend.
Wirtz moved to Liverpool for a then British transfer record fee of £106 million, joining from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.
It has been a difficult start to the season for Wirtz, who is still adapting to life in the Premier League, with the German failing to register a goal involvement in his first three starts.
Wirtz has shown creative glimpses, as well as taking control of the vast majority of Liverpool’s set pieces, and one unique record may now be extended at the weekend.
Florian Wirtz aiming to kickstart Premier League career
Wirtz has been playing more centrally under Arne Slot, which is something that may have affected the start to his Liverpool career.
As Liverpool travel to Burnley, Wirtz will hope to extend his record of scoring or assisting in each of his three matches after the international break in last season’s Bundesliga.
During Bayer Leverkusen’s 2024-25 campaign, Wirtz notched assists in a 2-1 win at home to Eintracht Frankfurt, and a 5-2 victory over FC Heidenheim, as well as scoring in a 4-1 win over TSG Hoffenheim.
An injury sidelined the 22-year-old for the international break in the spring, but Wirtz will hope he can pick up where he left off on Saturday.
Arne Slot needs to use Florian Wirtz differently
Within his 4-2-3-1 formation, Slot has used Wirtz as the central number 10 and the young German has looked to drift into pockets while dictating Liverpool’s attacking play.
The best of Wirtz, though came when he was allowed to drift into the wide areas and create chances cutting inside off the flanks, when under the tutelage of Xabi Alonso in Leverkusen.
| Florian Wirtz – 2024-25 | |
| Matches | 31 |
| Goals | 10 |
| Assists | 12 |
| Progressive carries per 90 | 5.02 |
| Progressive passes per 90 | 6.74 |
| Key passes per 90 | 2.18 |
| Passes into the final 1/3 per 90 | 3.68 |
There was always going to be a step up for Wirtz, going from being the superstar on his team, to becoming a singular cog in a superstar machine at Anfield.
Cody Gakpo has made the left wing position his own, and with Alexander Isak joining in a deadline day record deal of £125m, Hugo Ekitike will now also look to occupy some minutes on the left.
The opportunities seem slim for Wirtz to operate in his favoured left wing position, and Slot will hope the £106m man can justify his price tag and adapt to playing centrally as number 10 in the Premier League.