Liverpool boss Arne Slot and captain Virgil van Dijk have rallied behind Florian Wirtz following his challenging start at Anfield.

The 22-year-old playmaker has struggled to find his feet since his blockbuster £116million switch from Bayer Leverkusen during the summer transfer window. Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has called for the German to be dropped to the bench, despite the fact that no other Premier League star has crafted more chances for their side across all competitions this campaign.

Wirtz will get the opportunity to silence his critics when the Reds lock horns with bitter rivals Manchester United at Anfield this Sunday afternoon (4:30pm kick-off), but only if he comes off the bench. And Slot has defended his big-money signing, explaining why Wirtz's lack of goals and assists do not tell the full story.

"If you've been brought in for so much money, people look mainly at goals and assists, but I can tell you he could be on six or seven assists already," the Dutch manager told Sky Sports.

"If you...