Nagelsmann: Wirtz knows what he is capable of

Florian Wirtz may be struggling to make a big impact at Liverpool, but Julian Nagelsmann has no doubt the former Bayer Leverkusen star will come good.

Wirtz joined Liverpool in the summer in a deal reportedly worth up to £116m (€133.2m).

The Germany international assisted Hugo Ekitike’s goal against Crystal Palace in the Community Shield in August, but since then, he has failed to register a goal involvement.

Among players with over 10 chances created in the Premier League this season, only James Ward-Prowse (12) has registered more without having a goal or an assist than Wirtz (11).

But Nagelsmann, Wirtz’s national team boss, has backed the 22-year-old to find his best form soon enough.

“Even if he hasn’t scored a goal, he’s the player who creates chances,” Nagelsmann told Sport1.

“It’s not his fault if his team-mate doesn’t create them, and the statistic isn’t even a third of the truth. He simply has to get used to the league.

“I’ve seen him feel completely liberated. He knows what he’s capable of and how things work. Not everything has always been handed to him – he’ll work hard now, too.”

Wirtz’s 11 chances created have been worth a combined 0.87 expected assists (xA), while the playmaker has crafted just one big chance, defined as an opportunity from which a player would be expected to score, in the competition.

He has featured in all seven of Liverpool’s league matches this term, making five starts.

Wirtz hit the post during Germany’s 4-0 thrashing of Luxembourg on Friday, and he is likely to be involved again when Nagelsmann’s team take on Northern Ireland in their next World Cup qualifier on Monday.