'He's cursed' - Liverpool fans fume as Florian Wirtz 'robbed' by Premier League rival
Florian Wirtz's struggles for confidence have only deepened away from Liverpool during the international break.
Wirtz arrived at Anfield from Bayer Leverkusen on a then-British transfer record, which was then broken by their own move for Alexander Isak, but it has not worked out as expected.
Despite opening his account with an assist during the Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace, the German international has since failed to score or create in the following nine games.
Isak has also struggled at Liverpool, with fans still waiting for him to burst into life. Wirtz, on the other hand, continues to dazzle for his country, even scoring in the last international break.
The 22-year-old was not so lucky against Luxembourg on Friday, however, while Germany were 4-0 winners thanks to goals from David Raum, Joshua Kimmich at the double, and Serge Gnabry.
Newcastle United star fluffs chance created by Florian Wirtz
Wirtz was created chance after chance against Luxembourg, grabbing the opportunity to express himself by the scruff of the neck, but in one major moment, he was let down by a Premier League rival.
Nick Woltemade joined Newcastle United as Isak's replacement during the summer, and it was he who spurned a chance to score, prompting fans at Anfield to leap to their attacking midfielder's defence.
One supporter is genuinely convinced that Wirtz is "cursed" after watching the incident in the 32nd minute of the game, and he was left frustrated for the rest of the game at the PreZero Arena.
Grabbing an assist would have provided some much-needed confidence for the playmaker before returning to Anfield. Luckily, he has another chance against Northern Ireland on Monday, 13 October.
Liverpool star's promising numbers in Germany victory
His stats will certainly help Liverpool fans to feel better about his return at the end of the international break, with several other stars also on the scoresheet away from Anfield.
The Reds' current form has seen them give up top spot in the Premier League to Arsenal, but with another 31 games of the campaign to go, there is still plenty of time to make changes.
| Florian Wirtz vs Luxembourg | Stats [FotMob] |
| Minutes played | 90 |
| Chances created (Big chances) | 4 (1) |
| Shots | 5 |
| Successful dribbles | 0% (0/2) |
| Ground duels committed | 0% (0/4) |
While Wirtz was generally weak in battles for the ball, the creative juices were clearly flowing against Luxembourg, albeit a much lower-quality team, but it should have been beneficial for his confidence.
Arne Slot will be desperate for the playmaker to stamp his mark on Merseyside. The season has only just begun, but concerns are only getting louder at Anfield.