Neville's Scathing Critique of Liverpool's Big-Money Signing
Gary Neville has delivered a brutal assessment of Liverpool's record signing Florian Wirtz, claiming the German international "looks like a little boy" in Premier League matches. The Manchester United legend's comments came after Liverpool's disappointing 3-0 defeat against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, November 10, 2025.
The loss leaves the defending champions languishing in eighth position in the table, with their title defence appearing increasingly uncertain. Erling Haaland, Nico Gonzalez and Jeremy Doku scored the goals that secured a comprehensive victory for Pep Guardiola's side, exposing what Neville believes are fundamental physical problems within Arne Slot's team.
A Painfully Slow Start to English Football
Wirtz, who joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth approximately £120 million, started the match against City but turned in another underwhelming performance. The attacking midfielder's difficult adaptation to English football continues, with the German yet to register a goal or assist in his first 11 Premier League appearances.
Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast, the former England defender didn't hold back in his criticism. "They look physically really, really well short in the game. Physically short in terms of their running and physically short in terms of getting out-muscled," Neville stated. "I thought Wirtz in particular, I thought it was a really bad day for him. We've been tiptoeing around him for a few months. He's young, coming to a new country, but he's £120m, you're going to have to stand up soon."
Neville drew comparisons with his previous criticism of another summer signing, Milos Kerkez, who he claimed had similar physical limitations. The pundit expressed particular concern about Wirtz's inability to cope with the physical demands of a top-flight English match, despite his technical abilities and international pedigree.
Finding a Solution to Liverpool's Wirtz Problem
Despite his harsh assessment, Neville believes Liverpool manager Arne Slot has little choice but to persist with the struggling playmaker. "They've got to get him up to speed, get that little bit of tenacity into him and a little bit of something that means he gets into form," he advised. "They've got to stick with him and persist but they've got to find a way to get the best out of him."
The performance against Manchester City has intensified the debate about Wirtz's best position and how he fits into Liverpool's system. Interestingly, the German has shown glimpses of his quality in the Champions League, particularly in last week's victory over Real Madrid when he operated from the left flank.
Arsène Wenger offered a different perspective on the situation last week, suggesting that Liverpool's attempt to accommodate Wirtz in his preferred number 10 role has disrupted their previously successful midfield combination of Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Before Sunday's match, Slot addressed Wenger's comments, acknowledging that adaptation takes time. "Everyone has a right to his own opinion. We have five or six very good midfielders who can all play together but they need to play more together to get the best out of every single player," the Dutch manager explained. "Florian needs time to adapt to his teammates and teammates need time to adapt to him."
As Liverpool look to revive their faltering campaign, the form and integration of their marquee signing remains a pressing concern that could define their season.
