Florian Wirtz delivered a standout performance to help Liverpool secure a comeback win against Brentford on Saturday, providing a much-needed boost following the team’s initial Premier League defeat to Manchester City. Despite the positive result, the German playmaker remains a focal point for tactical debate regarding manager Andoni Iraola’s setup. The key dilemma facing Iraola was again evident in west London on Saturday. The impact of his playing style on the dynamic of the team continues to come under scrutiny, despite answering his critics with those standout statistics. Haaland scores twice as Man City beat Ipswich. Injured Martinez taken to hospital as Chelsea beat Everton. You’re going to get hurt, against better teams. According to iraola, Sport: “When you come here, you see the results of Brentford at home and you have to be ready for this kind of battle.
Wirtz has faced mounting scrutiny following his record-breaking 116 million pound transfer from Bayer Leverkusen in June 2025, with former captain Steven Gerrard recently suggesting the 23-year-old might benefit from a period out of the starting XI to regain his confidence. Wirtz has come in for criticism amid his struggles to replicate the form which persuaded the Reds to pay Bayer Leverkusen what was a club record £116m in June 2025.
However, his display in west London suggested a return to form, as he created nine chances from open play—the highest tally for a single Premier League game in six seasons. It just looks a little bit open, at the moment.
The Germany international matched a mark last set by Sadio Mane in January 2021 and became the first player to reach that specific total in an away game since Samir Nasri achieved it in 2011. Throughout the match, Wirtz completed 53 passes, including 38 within the final third, and assisted the equalizer that ignited Liverpool’s recovery after falling behind. He is the first player to reach that tally in more than 15 years, since Samir Nasri registered 10 for Manchester City against Tottenham in August 2011, in an away game. Florian Wirtz completed 53 of the 65 passes he attempted (81.5%) – including a match-leading 38 inside the final third. With a match-leading 12 final-third entries and 37 passes in the final third, he was at the heart of Liverpool ‘s attack.
While his statistical contribution was significant, concerns persist regarding the balance of Iraola’s side.
Pundit Danny Murphy noted that employing Wirtz in the number 10 role often leaves the midfield vulnerable, as the team relies heavily on only two central players to cover large gaps.
Murphy emphasized that the current structure makes Liverpool appear too easy to play against, noting that they often lack defensive solidity and a cohesive shape. They don’t look solid and don’t look together in terms of shape,” Murphy said.
Liverpool’s victory was bolstered by Brentford being reduced to 10 men before halftime, allowing the visitors to dominate the second period with 14 of their 21 total attempts. This result marked the club’s first away win after trailing since December 2023, snapping a 19-match winless streak in such scenarios. Currently sitting fifth, the team has secured three wins from seven league matches under Iraola. Meaning Wirtz has assisted in back-to-back games for Liverpool across all competitions for the first time – although this was only his second goal involvement in seven league games this term, he played in Munoz to begin Liverpool ‘s fightback. However, only Milos Kerkez (20) lost possession on more occasions than Wirtz (19) among Liverpool players, and he won just one of his nine duels. Where Wirtz is struggling to impact games, put three midfielders in, instead of a number 10. Ending a run of 19 winless away games when going 1-0 behind, the Spaniard oversaw the Reds’ first away league win after conceding first since December 2023. Every throw-in and every free-kick can be a problem, when we go 2-1. We had some counters where we were three against one and need to finish, even at the end. It’s very, very demanding, we were talking about this run of four games in 10 days. Pre-match, post-match and topical Reds content.
Despite the win, manager Andoni Iraola highlighted the physical toll of a packed schedule, noting the team faces a delicate situation with player fatigue. The other stuff can follow from there.
The club faces another high-stakes challenge on Tuesday in the Champions League against Villarreal. Further complicating matters, Iraola confirmed injury setbacks for Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong, both of whom were forced off during the Brentford clash. But, while striker Alexander Isak returned from injury, Iraola was dealt fresh blows as Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong suffered injuries on Saturday.
Reflecting on the match, Iraola acknowledged the intensity of the encounter and the difficulty of maintaining momentum, particularly when protecting a lead under heavy pressure.
With Wirtz now level with Brighton’s Pascal Gross on 18 chances created for the season, the challenge for the coaching staff remains finding a way to integrate his offensive flair without compromising the structural stability of the midfield. Always, the priority is foundation, defence, stability, being hard to beat.
