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Florian Wirtz's difficult debut campaign at Liverpool hit yet another snag on Saturday when he was unexpectedly left out of the squad against Chelsea, reportedly due to illness.
The club's record summer signing experienced an understandably sluggish adjustment to English football—though few would have anticipated his wait for a first goal extending beyond Christmas—before finding some impressive form in January. Yet following a run of six goals and three assists across 11 matches, Wirtz has managed just one further goal over the past three months.
The nimble playmaker was overwhelmed in last weekend's damaging derby loss to Manchester United, playing as a false nine alongside Dominik Szoboszlai, who unsurprisingly outperformed his fleeting teammate. Now Wirtz won't have the opportunity to bounce back from that latest setback while he battles illness, as first reported by The Athletic's James Pearce. BBC Sport later confirmed it to be a stomach bug.
Wirtz missed Wednesday's training session after feeling "a bit unwell," as Arne Slot disclosed during his pre-match press conference. However, the Dutch manager eased concerns over his availability for the weekend by confirming the high-profile Germany international had since returned to training.
Liverpool's Confirmed Lineup vs. Chelsea
The Reds to take on Chelsea 🔴 #LIVCHE
Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Giorgi Mamardashvili; Curtis Jones, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté, Milos Kerkez; Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister; Jeremie Frimpong, Dominik Szoboszlai, Rio Ngumoha; Cody Gakpo.
Substitutes: Freddie Woodman (GK), Joe Gomez, Andy Robertson, Federico Chiesa, Trey Nyoni, Kieran Morrison, Mor Talla Ndiaye, Will Wright, Alexander Isak.
Wirtz's absence prompted yet another tactical adjustment from Slot. The Dutch head coach appeared to abandon his double false nine setup, which had yielded mixed results in the 3–2 defeat at Old Trafford, opting instead for a natural winger in Rio Ngumoha to fill the role vacated by Wirtz.
The change also saw Szoboszlai return to his preferred attacking midfield position, with Jeremie Frimpong kept at right wing. The natural right back was once again pushed into the forward line due to the ongoing absence of Mohamed Salah, who has just three remaining opportunities to feature for Liverpool before his pre-arranged summer exit.
Huge Double Injury Boost for Liverpool
While Salah remained sidelined, Slot was able to welcome back two important players. Giorgi Mamardashvili had finally recovered from a knee laceration to make his first appearance in three weeks, while Alexander Isak was deemed fit enough to take a place on the bench.
The Premier League's all-time record signing was a notable absentee against Manchester United with what Slot had downplayed as a "really small" groin issue. Evidently, it wasn't minor enough to earn him a starting spot on Saturday.