Florian Wirtz had been waiting for a performance that would change the conversation around his Liverpool career. On Saturday afternoon at Brentford, he finally gave supporters something substantial to talk about.
Liverpool were trailing 1–0 when Wirtz released Víctor Muñoz down the right in the 62nd minute. Muñoz drove forward, shifted onto his left foot and beat Caoimhín Kelleher with a low finish.
Eight minutes later, Alexander Isak completed the comeback. Liverpool left west London with a 2–1 victory, and Wirtz had an assist beside his name.
His contribution went much further than that final pass.
According to Opta, Wirtz created nine chances from open play — the most by any player in a Premier League match since Sadio Mané achieved the same total against Burnley in January 2021. Nobody had produced that many in an away league game since Samir Nasri in August 2011.
For a player whose Liverpool performances have attracted persistent criticism, those numbers are significant.
They also came in a match that changed dramatically just before half-time.
A red card changed what Liverpool needed
Brentford had been difficult opponents from the start. Michael Kayode threatened Liverpool’s goal, Igor Thiago caused problems inside the penalty area, and Keane Lewis-Potter headed the home side ahead in the 44th minute.
Liverpool had chances of their own. Bradley Barcola found himself through on goal during the first half, only to lift his effort wide.
Then Brentford midfielder Yehor Yarmoliuk was sent off for violent conduct in the eighth minute of first-half stoppage time following an incident involving Jérémy Jacquet.
Brentford went into the interval leading 1–0, knowing they would have to defend the entire second half with ten players.
That dismissal transformed the challenge facing Wirtz.
Liverpool could commit more players forward and spend longer searching for an opening. Brentford, meanwhile, had fewer players available to challenge for possession and counterattack.
The home side’s remaining defenders still had a difficult job to do. They defended their penalty area tightly, giving Liverpool limited space to play through the middle.
This was precisely where Wirtz became valuable.
Iraola explained after the match that breaking down Brentford’s compact defence required players capable of working in small spaces. He specifically identified Wirtz, Rio Ngumoha and Muñoz as useful options for that task.
The equaliser provided a clear example. Wirtz found Muñoz, whose movement and finish turned the pass into a goal.
Liverpool’s winner came through another route: Alexis Mac Allister delivered into the area, Barcola headed the ball back, and Isak finished from a tight angle.
Those two moves showed Liverpool finding different ways through a difficult defence, with Wirtz contributing decisively to one of them.
Liverpool had been looking for this version of Wirtz
The concern surrounding Wirtz did not begin at Brentford.
Liverpool had invested heavily in the former Bayer Leverkusen midfielder, expecting him to bring invention and a greater threat around the opposition penalty area. His early output had not consistently matched those expectations.
The criticism grew after the 3–0 defeat against Manchester City. Liverpool needed more from a player signed to influence important matches.
On 26 September, MATCHIQ examined whether Wirtz’s difficulties were primarily a decline in his performances or a problem with how Liverpool were using him.
The question was partly about where he received the ball. Wirtz is dangerous when he can find space near the penalty area, turn towards goal and bring runners into play. Asking him to spend too much time helping Liverpool move possession through deeper areas can leave him further from the situations where he does the most damage.
His Germany performance against Serbia offered an encouraging example of his attacking ability closer to goal. It left Liverpool with the task of producing similarly useful conditions in their own matches.
Brentford gave them a different kind of answer.
Wirtz did not need to score to influence the result. He supplied a goal, repeatedly created shooting opportunities and helped Liverpool sustain attacks against a side protecting its penalty area.
That is the clearest evidence yet of how productive he can be for Iraola in this particular match situation.
There is one important distinction in the nine-chance statistic. A chance created records a pass leading to a shot; it does not automatically mean a clear one-on-one opportunity or a high-quality chance to score.
Liverpool’s need to improve the final outcome of their attacking moves has not disappeared. What changed at Brentford is that Wirtz produced an exceptional volume of creative actions while helping deliver a decisive goal.
The next job is making this work against eleven
The red card is central to assessing what happened.
Playing against ten men gave Liverpool a numerical advantage that would not exist in a normal match. The published nine-chance total is a full-match figure, and the available reporting does not establish how many of those chances Wirtz created before and after Yarmoliuk’s dismissal.
Brentford’s second red card, shown to Vitaly Janelt in stoppage time, came after Liverpool had scored both goals. The comeback was completed against ten men, not nine.
That context does not erase Wirtz’s contribution. Finding passes through a crowded defence still requires excellent awareness and technique. It identifies the situation in which his qualities were especially effective.
For Iraola, the useful next step is to recreate the attacking connections without needing an extra player.
When Liverpool face eleven opponents, Wirtz still needs passing options moving ahead of him. A runner such as Muñoz can threaten space, while a wide attacker can occupy defenders and help create room for a pass into the middle.
The challenge is balancing that movement with protection behind the attack. Committing too many players forward against an opponent capable of pressing and counterattacking can leave Liverpool exposed when possession changes.
That is a problem of team organisation, not something Wirtz can solve alone.
Iraola does not need to invent a new role because of one outstanding statistic. Brentford showed a productive use of the player he already has. The next step is testing whether those connections survive when Liverpool have less time on the ball and fewer passing options.
Against Brentford, Wirtz gave Liverpool exactly what they needed: creativity in crowded areas and a pass that helped turn the match around.
His nine chances were no statistical accident. They were a strong performance in favourable circumstances.
Liverpool now have proof of what Wirtz can provide against a compact defence. The challenge is to make those qualities valuable against opponents who can put him under pressure themselves.
Sources: Opta Analyst — Brentford 1–2 Liverpool, 17 October 2026; Liverpool FC official match report; Iraola’s post-match press conference. Previous MATCHIQ research: Wirtz’s Liverpool role fit and his Germany performance. Analysis covers evidence available through 18 October 2026.