Wirtz withdrawn before kickoff as Liverpool claim dramatic 1-0 win at Forest
Florian wirtz was named in Liverpool’s starting XI for the trip to Nottingham Forest but was withdrawn before kickoff with a back issue, replaced by Curtis Jones as the Reds went on to a dramatic 1-0 win at the City Ground.
Wirtz pulled out with a back problem in the warm-up
The No. 7 was in the team sheet at the City Ground but reported a back issue during the warm-up and was taken out of the side prior to kick-off; Curtis Jones went into the line-up instead. After the game, head coach Arne Slot said he did not think the injury was very serious but that wirtz "felt his back too much during the warm-up to start. " Slot added that Wirtz "wasn't able to be 100 per cent or even close to 100 per cent, " that the club decided not to play him, and: "We hope and expect he will be able to be with us again next week but you never know how things work out. " The comment came after Liverpool’s dramatic 1-0 victory at the City Ground.
Curtis Jones drafted into Slot’s 4-2-3-1 and gave up early possession
Jones was selected to slot into Arne Slot’s 4-2-3-1 when Wirtz withdrew. Within seconds of kickoff he gave up possession after dallying on the ball. Liverpool’s starting XI for the match was listed as: Alisson; Dominik Szoboszlai, Ibrahima Konaté, Virgil van Dijk, Milos Kerkez; Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister; Mohamed Salah, Curtis Jones, Cody Gakpo; Hugo Ekitiké. Named substitutes included Freddie Woodman (GK), Giorgi Mamardashvili (GK), Andy Robertson, Calvin Ramsay, Joe Gomez, Trey Nyoni, Federico Chiesa, Kieran Morrison and Rio Ngumoha. Slot had entered the game with a right-back dilemma: Jeremie Frimpong would remain without the squad for at least another week, and Dominik Szoboszlai was again called upon in an unfavoured right-back role — a position that could feasibly have been swapped with Jones, who previously scored from that position against Brighton & Hove Albio.
How Wirtz’s form and availability changed Liverpool’s season
The 22-year-old Germany international had been criticised early on after his £116million move from Bayer Leverkusen but has since been central to Liverpool’s recovery. Wirtz missed both the Forest match earlier in the season and another game through injury — the only Premier League games this season he has not been involved in, save being rested in the League Cup. After those absences, Liverpool endured a difficult spell, but in the subsequent run Wirtz has produced six goals and five assists, compared with no goals and three assists in the previous 16 games. He has combined with Hugo Ekitike for seven goals and has developed an improved partnership with Mohamed Salah. Wirtz has also increased his durability, starting every Premier League game since the Forest defeat and lasting the duration in five of the last six.
Slot’s pressure, Forest’s recent history and the wider run of results
Forest’s return to Anfield in November was followed by a week when Slot’s pressure peaked after a run that included a 3-0 reverse to Forest (referred to as the Tricky Trees) and a 4-1 loss at home to PSV Eindhoven, which prompted calls for Slot to be sacked after nine defeats in 12 games. That period proved a turning point: Liverpool have since lost just two of 19 games in all competitions, reached the last 16 of the Champions League and the last 16 of the FA Cup, and seen renewed hopes of a top-four Premier League finish, a revival in which Wirtz has played a leading role. Nottingham Forest have also changed management, with Vitor Pereira replacing the sacked Sean Dyche; Pereira’s first game came on Thursday in the Europa League play-off round first leg at Fenerbahce.
What comes next
Slot said he hopes and expects Wirtz will be available "next week, " while Liverpool move on from the City Ground with a 1-0 victory. Forest head into their European fixture under Pereira after the match at Anfield earlier in the season and the trip to the City Ground on Sunday where Wirtz was withdrawn.
