Gerrard warns against writing off Wirtz too early – Iraola defends

Steven Gerrard, legend of FC Liverpool, said in the Sky show “The Overlap” that he does not want to write off Florian Wirtz yet, while coach Andoni Iraola reaffirmed his support on Tuesday afternoon. Both emphasized that the 23‑year‑old attacking midfielder still needs time to develop.

Gerrard's assessment after City‑defeat

After the sobering 0:3 loss to Manchester City, Gerrard criticised the young German and said: “I think it’s still too early for that.” He highlighted Wirtz’s great talent, but criticised the current form, which has declined since the summer 2025 – when the player moved from Bayer 04 Leverkusen to Liverpool for €125 million – . The market value of the playmaker has fallen from €140 million to €85 million.

Iraola's defence and tactical decision

Coach Andoni Iraola took the 23‑year‑old off the pitch after 66 minutes, after Ryan Gravenberch had received a yellow‑red card. Iraola stressed that Wirtz needs support from the coach, the team and the experienced players. He defended the player just as he defended new signing Bradley Barcola ahead of the Champions‑League match against LASK and said he trusts them “100 percent”.

Other voices and context

Jamie Carragher had previously demanded that Wirtz be taken out of the starting eleven and said: “It doesn’t work with Florian Wirtz.” Gerrard agreed that the player must show more effort: “He needs to do more, become aware of the situation.” According to statistics, Wirtz has scored seven goals and provided eleven assists in 56 league appearances for Liverpool, mostly playing as a number ten in the attacking midfield.

Liverpool boss Iraola braces for LASK trip without three stars

Gerrard speculated that Wirtz could perform better if former top players such as Sadio Mané, Roberto Firmino or Mohamed Salah were still in the squad. He also referred to other signings of the past two years – Bradley Barcola, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitiké – who have not yet established themselves.

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The article was updated after sharp criticism from Carragher and includes Iraola’s latest analysis. Further news, market‑value analyses and Bundesliga discussions will follow in the forum.