Gary Neville has not been shy about expressing his disappointment with Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak after their first league outing for Liverpool this season. The former Newcastle and Bayer Leverkusen stars, who together cost the club well over £200 million, were described by Neville as Liverpool’s "biggest disappointments" at St James' Park, even though he still believes they have the talent to turn things around.
In the opening match against Newcastle United, Isak completed the full 90 minutes, marking his first return to the stadium since his record‑breaking transfer that made him the most expensive Premier League signing last summer. Despite the full‑time effort, his performance offered little more than a brief glimpse of the power he displayed in the Premier League last season. Wirtz, on the other hand, was taken off just after the hour mark for Alexis Mac Allister, having failed to make a decisive impact. Both forwards entered the game with high expectations after promising displays in Liverpool’s pre‑season friendlies under new manager Andoni Iraola, but they were unable to translate that optimism into tangible results on the day.
During his appearance on the Gary Neville Podcast, Neville laid out his concerns in blunt terms. He said, "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. 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.
For a start, they're too nice, and if you're going to be nice, you'd better be incredible at football." He went on to single out Wirtz, noting a lack of visible tenacity: "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." Neville did not stop at criticism. He urged both players to adopt a more aggressive mindset, insisting that their raw ability demands a higher level of output. "I want to put a rocket up him," he said about Wirtz, emphasizing that the player possesses the talent and positional understanding to become a game‑changing force, but he must translate that into decisive actions on the field.
"The biggest disappointment for me [Sunday] is those two," Neville added, underscoring how their underperformance has already begun to erode the goodwill they initially enjoyed from the Liverpool faithful. Despite the harsh words, Neville also affirmed his belief that the pair can still fulfill their potential. He reminded listeners that he has watched both players for twelve months and still retains faith in their abilities. "I think Isak's an exceptional player and we've seen it," Neville said, recalling how Isak once gave defenders like Gabriel, Saliba, Van Dijk and Konaté a genuine struggle while playing for Newcastle in a black‑and‑white shirt.
"Now Liverpool fans, his teammates and the coaching staff need to see that, because that's £125 million they've spent on him." Regarding Wirtz, Neville acknowledged the challenges of adapting to a new country and a different style of play. "He's young and he's come to a different country – and I'm all for willing him on," Neville said, but he also warned that the player has been given a "free ride" and must now prove his worth. He highlighted that Isak missed much of last season due to injury, while Wirtz has yet to find a consistent rhythm under Liverpool’s tactical system. "They have both had a bit of a free ride.
Obviously Isak was injured last season but Arne Slot loses his job, and Wirtz has played like that, so let's be clear, this has got me to start some real focus now," Neville explained. Neville also dissected Wirtz’s positional play, suggesting that the German’s tendency to drift too far from the striker hampers his effectiveness. He observed that Wirtz often moves around the pitch without staying close enough to Isak to create meaningful combinations. "Sometimes I think he moves around too much," Neville said.
"Sometimes I don't think he's close enough to his striker, I don't think he understands where the game's going to be won and lost." He warned that a No 10 who wanders too deep or wide will inevitably draw criticism from managers, and urged Wirtz to focus on the final third, where goals are decided. "The game's not going to be won out there, the game's not going to be won back there, the game's going to be won in the final third, in and around the box," he insisted. To improve, Neville recommended that Wirtz adopt a more direct, second‑striker role, feeding Isak with quick, incisive passes along the flanks of the centre‑backs.
He explained, "He might only get the ball two or three times in that position in tight games where teams are lying deep, but those moments need to be decisive." By staying closer to the forward line and reducing his involvement in deeper build‑up play, Wirtz could increase his goal contributions and better complement Isak’s physical presence. Neville’s analysis also touched on the broader context of Liverpool’s transfer strategy. The club’s willingness to spend heavily on young talent reflects a long‑term vision, but it also raises expectations among supporters and pundits alike. The £125 million fee for Isak and the nine‑figure sum for Wirtz set a high bar for immediate impact.
While both players have shown flashes of brilliance—Isak’s relentless pressing at Newcastle and Wirtz’s creative spark in pre‑season friendlies—their early Premier League performances have not yet justified the financial outlay. Looking ahead, Neville believes that a year of experience at Anfield could be enough for both players to rediscover the form that made them coveted signings. He pointed out that adaptation periods are common for young internationals moving to the Premier League, especially when they must adjust to a new manager’s tactical demands. "I've watched them both for 12 months, and I do actually have faith in them," he reiterated, emphasizing that patience, combined with a clearer tactical role, could unlock their potential.
In summary, Gary Neville’s verdict is clear: Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak must stop treating Liverpool’s front line with leniency and start delivering the high‑level performances that justify their massive transfer fees. The duo’s lack of tenacity, positional discipline, and goal‑producing output in the opening match has already drawn criticism, but Neville remains optimistic that, with the right adjustments and a year of experience, they can become the dynamic attacking partnership Liverpool envisioned when they splashed over a quarter of a billion pounds. The onus now lies with the players, the coaching staff, and the club’s supporters to see that promise materialise on the pitch.