**Gary Neville Slams Florian Wirtz’s Performance in Liverpool’s 3-0 Defeat to Manchester City**
Gary Neville has delivered a scathing assessment of Florian Wirtz following Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat against Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday, November 9. The Manchester United legend criticized the German midfielder’s struggles to adapt to the Premier League, labeling his form a “real worry.”
Liverpool signed Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a massive £116 million fee in the summer. However, he has yet to deliver on that price tag, registering only three assists in 16 games across all competitions — and none in his 11 Premier League appearances.
Wirtz started the crucial match against Manchester City but was substituted off in the 83rd minute for Federico Chiesa. After the game, speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast, Neville didn’t hold back:
> *“Wirtz is a problem. Let’s just call it as it is. It’s an issue. He’s £100m+, and to be fair, I said a few weeks ago [Milos] Kerkez looked like a little boy out there. Today I thought Wirtz looked like a little boy. That can’t be the case. We’ve been tiptoeing around him for a few months, around the fact that he’s young, he’s coming to a new country, but he’s £100m+, you’re going to have to stand up soon. He’s obviously got something, he’s a really good player, he’s technically fantastic, but he’s been mauled out there today by Matheus Nunes and by others. He’s been chucked around the pitch, and didn’t deliver on the quality side of things as well, so his performance was a real worry.”*
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### Liverpool’s Slump Continues as Manchester City Close in on Arsenal
The loss to City marks another disappointing chapter in Liverpool’s season. The Reds have now lost seven of their last ten games across all competitions, winning just three.
In the Premier League, they have only won once in their last six outings, leaving them eighth in the table and trailing leaders Arsenal by eight points.
Liverpool went into the clash after a 1-0 Champions League win over Real Madrid at Anfield. However, their momentum quickly dissipated at the Etihad. Manchester City took the lead in the 29th minute through Erling Haaland, despite the Norwegian having his penalty saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili earlier in the 13th minute.
Nico Gonzalez doubled City’s advantage with a deflected strike in stoppage time at the end of the first half, before Jeremy Doku sealed the 3-0 win in the 63rd minute.
Pep Guardiola’s side now move up to second in the standings, just four points behind Arsenal.
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With Liverpool’s form dipping and big-money signings like Florian Wirtz struggling to make an impact, Jurgen Klopp faces mounting pressure to turn things around as the season progresses.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/news-looked-like-little-boy-gary-neville-slams-performance-liverpool-star-3-0-defeat-manchester-city
