Florian Wirtz is working hard to integrate into Liverpool.
In the early hours of January 2nd, at Anfield, Liverpool endured a terrible day, struggling to break down Leeds United's defense. According to the Liverpool Echo , Wirtz was among the worst performers for the home team.
It seemed that after scoring against Wolves in the previous round, the German player would shed the pressure and play more brilliantly. However, Wirtz couldn't maintain his form. He left the field with the lowest pass accuracy rate among Liverpool's starting players (79.6%).
Wirtz moved around actively, looking for space, but was unable to create any significant chances to change the course of the game. The pressure on the 22-year-old will only increase, especially as Liverpool show signs of falling behind in the Premier League race.
The Times noted that tense, closely contested matches like the one against Leeds United are expected to be an opportunity for Wirtz, Liverpool's second-most expensive player in history, to be creative and make a difference.
Wirtz's early substitution by manager Slot partly reflects Liverpool's frustration in breaking through Leeds United's solid defense. Liverpool had hoped Wirtz would integrate better halfway through the season, but the young German star is still struggling.