‘Don’t Give Up on Him’: Gerrard backs Wirtz to bounce back after difficult Liverpool start
Steven Gerrard has urged Liverpool not to 'give up' on Florian Wirtz and insists the midfielder can overcome a tough period.
Wirtz has struggled to live up to expectations since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen in a £116m British record deal in 2025.
The Germany international scored just five goals and provided three assists in the Premier League last season, while his performances have again been scrutinised in the early weeks of 2026/27.
Gerrard has insisted that Wirtz can come through a challenging period at Anfield, amid recent flashes. Wirtz registered an assist in the weekend win at Brentford, and scored his first goal of the season against Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Former Liverpool captain Gerrard told The Overlap Daily that Wirtz has what it takes to be a success in England.
"I think we live in a world in football where if someone comes with a price tag, and they don't hit the ground running and start scoring regularly, or they're not the standout on the pitch consistently, as soon as they start getting a bit of criticism from whoever starts it, everyone jumps on the bandwagon, and everyone wants to really dramatise it.
"I think Florian Wirtz has to perform better and give more. I think he has underperformed in more than enough games. But if you just take a step back from all of the heat and criticism and think about where he's at, he does really well for Germany every time he plays there.
"Liverpool have bought him from being a standout performer in Germany consistently, and he's come with this big price tag, and he hasn't hit the ground running. It's taken him a lot of time to get up to speed in the Premier League. He has been frustrating at times. The easy thing is to try and kill him and try and move him on. How are we going to sell him? Or who is going to buy him?
"You just need to stop and think: How can you fix it? You're the manager of Liverpool Football Club. You need Florian Wirtz shining. You need him playing well, consistently. You need him contributing goals and assists. That's what the fans want. I've seen enough throughout his career and I've seen flashes of it in a Liverpool shirt to think he can play through this and come out on the other side.
"If you're on the Liverpool staff or a senior player, this kid is a talent. Ok, he hasn't had the best of times so far, but don't give up on him."
