Liverpool claimed an unconvincing 4-1 win over Barnsley at Anfield to advance to the fourth round of the FA Cup.The Reds made a meal of the game but had enough firepower to get past the League One tea...
Liverpool claimed an unconvincing 4-1 win over Barnsley at Anfield to advance to the fourth round of the FA Cup.
The Reds made a meal of the game but had enough firepower to get past the League One team at Merseyside.
Dominik Szoboszlai broke the deadlock with a terrific hit before Jeremie Frimpong doubled the Liverpool lead, but the Hungarian’s mistake allowed Barnsley back.
Liverpool needed inspiration from the bench, and manager Arne Slot called upon big guns like Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz to swing the tie with minutes to go.
Wirtz had a particularly brilliant cameo, scoring once and setting up Ekitike in a dazzling display that earned praise from Slot.
Slot said (via the BBC), “If you come on for half an hour and you have a goal, an assist and a few other good moments, you can definitely say he brought something creative to the team, and that’s what we needed.”
Wirtz is beginning to show the qualities that made Liverpool splurge on him, but he needs to start delivering the goods consistently.
A ‘complete’ midfielder, he could be the difference-maker in the second half of the season.
The Reds have crucial games against Burnley, Newcastle United, Manchester City, Bournemouth, and Marseille in the coming weeks.
This cameo should not be viewed as a one-off but as the benchmark for Wirtz going forward.
Liverpool did not invest heavily in him for flashes of brilliance. They need sustained influence in decisive moments.
With big fixtures looming, Slot will demand creativity, end product and authority from midfield.
Wirtz has the tools to dictate games and tilt tight contests in Liverpool’s favour. Now it is about repetition.
Performances like this must become the norm, not the exception, if he is to justify his billing.
Category: General Sports
