£116M Florian Wirtz DROPPED for Merseyside Derby — Arne Slot Explains Why

Florian Wirtz, Liverpool’s £116m summer signing, was surprisingly dropped from the starting XI in the Merseyside Derby against Everton — and Richard Keys thinks it reveals something about his Premier League readiness.

The German playmaker has struggled to replicate his Bayer Leverkusen form in England, looking quiet in matches against Arsenal and Newcastle. Arne Slot explained the benching as part of squad rotation, citing fixture congestion and the physical intensity of English football. Richard Keys, however, suggested it could be a sign that Wirtz isn’t yet equipped for the “hurly-burly” of the Premier League.

So, was Slot protecting his star asset, or has Wirtz’s adaptation been slower than expected? In this video, we break down the theory, Slot’s reasoning, and what this could mean for Liverpool’s title push.

👉 Watch until the end and share your thoughts — do you believe Wirtz can thrive at Anfield, or was this a warning sign?

#FlorianWirtz #Liverpool #LFC #MerseysideDerby #ArneSlot #Football #Sports #Soccer

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Big Mury side shock. Florian works, Liverpool’s headline summer signing, was surprisingly left out of the starting 11 for the derby with Everton. And pundit Richard Keys thinks it tells us something about Wartz’s Premier League readiness, drama, doubt, and huge questions at Anfield. For instant, nononsense football updates. Smash like, share, and subscribe to trending sports news. Reports say words arrived at Liverpool in a blockbuster deal widely reported around 100 million pounds to 6 million pounds with add-ons and began life at Anfield as a regular starter. But after a handful of quiet displays, notably versus Arsenal and Newcastle, Arnslot opted to leave him on the bench for the Muryside Derby. Veteran broadcaster Richard Keys asked whether that selection suggests where still lacks the tools for the Premier League’s Hurly Burly. Slaugh told reporters the decision was at least partly about fixture congestion, three games in a short space, and that players like Dominic Shabashlai are more battle hardened to the league’s pace right now. The big picture, Liverpool can rotate elite talent, but Wartz’s adaptation is under close scrutiny, and the manager must balance form, fitness, and team shape while protecting the young playmaker. Was Slot right to manage W’s minutes, or did he send the wrong message by dropping a marquee signing in a derby? If you were slot, how would you accelerate W’s adaptation, change his position, tweak training, or stick with gradual integration? Name one tactical tweak and one player you’d pair him with to unlock form. Do you trust Slot to get words firing, or should Liverpool change course? What’s your call and why?