Richard Keys shared an interesting perspective on Florian Wirtz’s omission from Liverpool’s starting lineup for the Merseyside Derby.
Wirtz, who joined Liverpool for £116 million over the summer, had started the team’s previous four Premier League matches. However, despite his success at Bayer Leverkusen in Germany, the 22-year-old has found it difficult to adapt to English football. After starting in the midweek Champions League match against Atletico Madrid, manager Arne Slot opted to leave him out of the starting eleven against Everton.
Naturally, Slot’s decision became a major talking point ahead of the match.
Speaking on beIN SPORTS, Richard Keys addressed Wirtz’s form and raised a theory during a discussion with Jason McAteer and Andy Gray.
He asked: “What does it suggest that Wirtz wasn’t picked today?”
McAteer responded by pointing to the physical nature of Everton under David Moyes as a possible reason. Keys then interrupted, questioning whether Wirtz simply lacked the physical attributes needed to compete in the high-intensity environment of the Premier League, especially in crucial games.
Keys later added: “Is this because he was virtually invisible against Arsenal? This could be a similarly demanding match.”
Arne Slot’s Explanation
Speaking to TNT Sports ahead of the game, Slot clarified his reasons for leaving Wirtz out, pointing to fixture congestion. Wirtz, along with Alexander Isak—who debuted midweek—was rested due to the packed schedule.
Slot explained:
“It’s not like we have eight days—it’s Sunday, Wednesday, then Saturday. This match is one of the most physically demanding, so we’ve had to manage player workload through the Burnley and Atletico fixtures.”
He added that Szoboszlai, who has played in both previous games, is more accustomed to the pace and intensity of the Premier League than Wirtz, who is still adjusting after his move from Germany.
“So the decision was purely down to the tight schedule. Wirtz might come on, but he’s not starting.”
Wirtz is expected to remain on the bench for Liverpool’s Carabao Cup clash with Southampton on Tuesday, but he’ll be aiming to reclaim a starting spot when the Reds face Crystal Palace on September 27.
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