Slot must finally sell the Liverpool flop who lost 100% in duels

Liverpool are their worst enemy in the Premier League this season.

The revival of Arne Slot’s side continues, with Wolverhampton Wanderers losing at Anfield. But once again, Reds fans were treated to heartbreaking viewing in the closing stages, left reeling after conceding another free kick.

Liverpool were back in the top four, with Ryan Gravenberch opening the scoring before Florian Wirtz connected with the in-form Hugo Ekitike before the break.

Just like Wirtz needed. The German playmaker is starting to come into his own on Merseyside, and he has finally broken his duck.

How Florian Wirtz came to life at Liverpool

Liverpool paid Bayer Leverkusen £116 million to sign Wirtz this summer. This was the all-time British record before Alexander Isak joined the club on deadline day.

Wirtz, 22, has been one of the most criticized Premier League players this season. The spotlight has sometimes been blinding. But now he has scored, endorsing what has quietly been an impressive run of form for the Germany international.

After assisting Ekitike last week, the striker returned the favor for Wolves, who remain at the foot of the table with just two points. He won 11 duels and completed eight dribbles, according to Sofascore, head and shoulders above his peers and opponents.

Wirtz comes alive, and it’s important to remember that Liverpool have been abject and unbalanced this year, well below the expected standard.

He has a future at Liverpool, granted, but the same unfortunately can’t be said for all the Reds, with one of Wirtz’s attacking teammates heading the other way against a doomed Wolves.

FSG must now sell Liverpool flop

Liverpool boast a crop of talented attackers, and Federico Chiesa has struggled to find regular minutes since joining Juventus for a cut-price of £12.5m in 2024.

His fortunes have improved since the summer, but he has also been kept on the sidelines, despite playing a bigger role than in last year’s championship team.

Injuries and absences opened the door to a rare Premier League start against Wolves but the Italian, who earns £150,000-a-week, failed to grab it.

The Liverpool Echo summed it up: While Chiesa played a part in Gravenberch’s opening goal, he was largely ineffective on the right wing, uninvolved and lacking the drive and vigor needed to attract Slot’s attention. He was scored with a score of 5/10, the lowest of the match.

Chiesa found opportunities rare at Liverpool, with this making his first Premier League start at Anfield. He lost his three duels on the ground and did not complete a dribble.

Perhaps it was a chance he couldn’t pass up, and yet it did, carrying in the bracing wind the prospect of regular starting places over the coming weeks. It is worth remembering that Dominik Szoboszlai was absent on Saturday due to suspension.

With rumors of interest coming from his homeland in recent months, FSG could conclude that Chiesa should be sold after his season and a half at Liverpool. When Mohamed Salah returns from the CAN, his playing time will be further reduced, especially since Slot has shown his desire to align Jérémie Frimpong in an advanced position.

‘Fede’ has shown he has a Midas touch in front of goal this season, scoring twice off the bench in the Premier League. But he may be better suited as an impact replacement.

Maybe Slot knows a thing or two about management after all. If Liverpool follow through on their interest in a new winger, it could result in the sale of Chiesa. This could be the best decision for all parties, if the Italian wants to play regular football for the rest of his glory years.

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