Pundits split over Florian Wirtz's Liverpool struggles after Man City display

Florian Wirtz's underwhelming performance against Manchester City has sparked a wave of debate among pundits and Liverpool legends, with some calling for him to be dropped and others urging patience.

This Is Anfield reports that Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville questioned whether Wirtz "really understands" what is required of him at Liverpool, with the suggestion he "should be dropped" (This Is Anfield). Liverpool.com confirms Carragher's "full verdict", saying the time has come for a "tough decision" over the German's place in the starting XI following his struggles since his Bayer Leverkusen move (Liverpool.com). The Liverpool Echo adds that Carragher has "doubled down" on his call to drop Wirtz, prompting their own writers to weigh in on what Andoni Iraola — though more likely meaning Liverpool's management — should do next (Liverpool Echo).

Adding further weight to the criticism, Liverpool.com reports that Alan Shearer has agreed with Carragher's "blunt" assessment of Wirtz, with the midfielder coming under fire specifically for his display against City (Liverpool.com). The Liverpool Echo separately notes that "alarm bells" are ringing for Wirtz after he was shown up by a Manchester City player Liverpool themselves had spoken to (Liverpool Echo).

Not everyone is as harsh, however. Liverpool.com reports that Steven Gerrard has offered a more lenient take than Carragher, saying "I have seen enough" while still giving Wirtz some leeway over his early struggles (Liverpool.com). Robbie Fowler is said to agree with Gerrard's more measured stance, with Liverpool.com reporting the pair have found common ground on "what we've seen" from Wirtz so far, in contrast to the tougher line taken by Carragher (Liverpool.com).

Elsewhere, Sky Sports takes a broader look at what Wirtz actually offers Liverpool, recalling a view that he "could be the Kevin De Bruyne that at times got Man City over the line" — suggesting his long-term potential remains highly rated despite the current rough patch (Sky Sports).

Taken together, the coverage shows a clear split: Carragher, Neville and Shearer favour dropping Wirtz now, while Gerrard and Fowler are more sympathetic, and Sky Sports points to the elite ceiling he could still reach if he finds his feet at Anfield.

Written with the help of AI, using the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.