The 47% figure is the one causing problems at Anfield. Since arriving at Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for a club-record £116m in June 2025, Florian Wirtz has averaged 0.33 goal involvements per Premier League game across 55 appearances for the club, roughly half his Bundesliga rate of 0.62.

At Leverkusen the Germany international registered 57 goals and 65 assists in 197 appearances. His farewell season at the BayArena finished with 16 goals and 15 assists in 45 matches. His Liverpool return, spread over the same broad workload, sits at seven goals and 11 assists.

Carragher wants Wirtz dropped for Man City

The scrutiny sharpened after Liverpool’s 1-0 win at Bournemouth on Sunday, a game in which Wirtz completed 26 of his 37 passes for a team-low 70.3% accuracy and had no meaningful attempt on target, though he did create a joint-game-high three chances.

Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports it was one of the poorest performances he had seen from the German in a Liverpool shirt.

Read also: Bruno Fernandes has been playing through pain at United for weeks, Portugal confirm

“I don’t think Wirtz is in poor form since he came to Liverpool. I actually think what we’re seeing is what he is,” Carragher said.

“Wirtz would not be in my Liverpool team. Manchester City at home, for me, he can’t be in the team.”

Iraola sticks with his £116m man

Head coach Andoni Iraola, appointed on 4 June 2026 to replace Arne Slot after Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League, has publicly stood by his forward.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the Bournemouth trip, the Spaniard said he continues to rate Wirtz highly.

Read also: Either we pay for him now or we get him free": Pellegatti doubles down on Van Dijk to Milan

“I am very happy with Florian. He’s training to help us in every aspect of the game. Obviously, he’ll want to add goals and assists, but he’s helping us in a lot of different areas.”

Wirtz has one assist so far in the 2026-27 Premier League season.

Wirtz’s second Liverpool manager in a year

The 23-year-old joined Liverpool in June 2025 for an initial £100m plus £16m in add-ons, a five-year deal that broke the £85m club record set by Darwin Núñez in 2022. Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Real Madrid all lost the race for his signature.

He is now working under his second Liverpool manager in a little over a year, with Slot’s departure forcing another tactical reset around him.

Read also: 'My left foot just gave way': Kane on the crossbar penalty as Spain beat England at Wembley

Liverpool host Manchester City after the international break.

Read also: Pidcock shrugs off bee sting: 'The biggest opportunity' to win the road world title