Darren Bent blown away by 'intelligent' Liverpool star after unseen moment vs Atletico Madrid
Virgil van Dijk was Arne Slot's hero as Liverpool claimed a last-gasp win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
Liverpool are now seen as unstoppable after their fifth-straight win across all competitions, but it was not totally smooth sailing after Marcos Llorente netted a brace at Anfield on Wednesday, 17 September.
The Reds raced into a two-goal lead via Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah, only for the team needing a late winner from the club captain two minutes into added time.
Liverpool's defensive struggles were highlighted during the game, as the La Liga side managed to get back into the game despite very limited chances, but there were far more positives to the game.
Florian Wirtz hits back at recent criticism vs Atletico Madrid
Fans have been critical of Florian Wirtz since his record-breaking move to Anfield this summer, but Darren Bent spotted a hugely positive sign from the attacking midfielder in the Champions League.
"I thought Wirtz looked better last night. I mean, he is such an intelligent footballer. Even some of the little touches, where Salah hit the inside of the post," Bent said live on talkSPORT (18 September, 4:40pm).
"I didn't even see Wirtz prodding it to him until I watched the reply. He will get better and better, and I like that Arne Slot keeps putting him out there."
| Florian Wirtz vs Atletico Madrid | Stats [as per FotMob] |
| Minutes played | 74 |
| Chances created (Big chances) | 5 (2) |
| Touches in opposition box | 8 |
| Expected assists (xA) | 0.75 |
| Ground duels entered | 9 |
The 22-year-old has just one goal contribution since signing across the dotted line, which came in the Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace, but the early warning signs are there for the opposition.
What did Arne Slot say about Wirtz after beating Atletico Madrid?
Slot has been nothing short of supportive of the young forward since his arrival, understanding that there is a lot of pressure on the player's shoulders due to the accompanying price tag.
Following the win over Atletico, he said: “He was indeed a few times close to scoring a goal, he was also a few times close to assisting a goal. I think he was the one who created the most chances for us today.
“I can see with him as well that he’s getting fitter and fitter and adjusting more and more to us, which is normal; you need a bit of time to adjust."
That should just be an early warning to the rest of the Premier League, as well as those in the Champions League, with clubs fully aware of his talents from his time at Bayer Leverkusen.