Liverpool’s two most expensive attacking signings are already facing scrutiny after a underwhelming display in a hard-fought Premier League opener at St James’ Park.
Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak struggled to make any meaningful impact as Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw by Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon.
Liverpool required a 99th-minute Dominik Szoboszlai penalty to salvage a point, with neither of their marquee forwards stepping up when it mattered most.
Gary Neville used his podcast to deliver a pointed assessment of the duo, questioning whether Liverpool are currently getting value from their enormous investment in the pair.
Liverpool have spent more than £200 million on Wirtz and Isak combined, making their performances in any major fixture subject to intense scrutiny from the very beginning.
Neville was unsparing in his critique, stating: “The big thing for Liverpool is they’ve got this quarter-of-a-billion-pound front two, Isak and Wirtz and bloody hell, we’ve been kind to them.”
The former Manchester United and England defender added that patience with the duo cannot be treated as an indefinite arrangement given the sums involved.
“They’re going to have to start playing sooner or later or else, to be fair, they’re going to get quite a lot of criticism,” Neville said on his podcast.
Neville reserved his sharpest words for Wirtz, saying: “I don’t see the tenacity in Wirtz in particular. I just see a nice player moving around the pitch, not really ever looking like he’s busting a gut to do anything.”
Despite acknowledging the German’s clear talent and positional understanding, Neville made clear he wants to see far more urgency from the forward on a consistent basis.
“I want to put a rocket up him because there’s ability there, there’s talent there, the understanding of his position,” Neville added, refusing to let the pair off the hook entirely.
His overall verdict on Sunday was unambiguous, with Neville declaring: “The biggest disappointment for me [Sunday] is those two.”
Manager Andoni Iraola will be aware that Liverpool did not invest at this scale to watch their two biggest attacking signings drift through difficult fixtures without leaving a mark.
Isak in particular arrived with a reputation as one of the Premier League’s most dangerous forwards, and that clinical edge must return quickly if Liverpool are to compete at the top.
One result does not define a season, but when transfer fees reach this level, the margin for quiet performances is considerably smaller than it would be for other players.
Liverpool will hope both Wirtz and Isak use Neville’s criticism as motivation rather than a burden as the season begins to take shape around them.
