Gary Lineker backs Slot’s decision to bench Florian Wirtz
Gary Lineker supported Arne Slot’s call to leave one highly skilled Liverpool player out of the starting lineup against Aston Villa on Saturday night. The decision came as most of Liverpool’s regular starters returned following their Carabao Cup defeat to Crystal Palace.
The lineup choices proved successful as Liverpool earned a 2–0 victory over Aston Villa, marking their first Premier League win since September. Florian Wirtz entered the match as a substitute for Hugo Ekitike in the 77th minute, which was the team’s sole substitution despite an upcoming clash with Real Madrid in three days.
Lineker’s view on Slot’s strategy
Speaking on the latest episode of The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker praised Liverpool’s number 7 but agreed with Slot’s measured approach to ease Wirtz back when team confidence improves.
“It’d be good for Wirtz to come back into the team when there’s confidence in the squad. I think that would be sensible man management at the moment, take him out of the firing line a little bit, and then bring him on. I mean, Wirtz is a really good player, and you don’t buy these players for the first three months.”
Lineker described Wirtz as an exceptionally talented young footballer, emphasizing patience and timing as key to developing his role in the squad.
Author’s summary
Gary Lineker endorsed Arne Slot’s cautious handling of Florian Wirtz, noting that careful timing and confidence will benefit both the player and Liverpool long-term.