Assist in 6-3 win at Linz: English press praise Germany's Florian Wirtz
After days of criticism, Florian Wirtz put in a strong display in Liverpool's 6-3 win at LASK. He set up a Bradley Barcola goal, and several English outlets rated him 8 out of 10.
Archive image · Photo: Fan First Matchday / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 (cropped and resized)
Florian Wirtz answered his recent critics in Liverpool's 6-3 Champions League win at LASK in Linz on Wednesday. The Germany international set up the second of Bradley Barcola's three goals in the 37th minute and was himself denied by goalkeeper Lukas Jungwirth in the eleventh minute after dribbling into the box. Liverpool's other goals came from Ronald Araújo, Jeremie Frimpong and Lewis Koumas.
Wirtz fared well in the English press: according to TEAMtalk, the Liverpool Echo, This is Anfield, the Daily Express and BBC Sport each rated him 8 out of 10. Ian Doyle wrote in the Echo that Wirtz was "far too good" for an opponent of this level; Anfield Index noted that he still needs a goal.
Liverpool had lost 3-0 to Manchester City in the Premier League at the weekend, when Wirtz was substituted after 66 minutes. Coach Andoni Iraola had explicitly backed the 23-year-old before the game in Linz.