Florian Wirtz’s nightmare beginning at Liverpool highlighted as he leads the Premier League in an unfortunate category.

It’s clear from watching Florian Wirtz that we’ve yet to see his best in a Liverpool shirt — and the numbers tell the same story.

The German playmaker, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, is still waiting for his first Premier League goal or assist after 11 appearances. According to Opta Analyst, Wirtz has created 16 chances and taken 12 shots, yet remains without a single goal contribution. In fact, he currently tops the Premier League for the most shot involvements without a goal or assist — a statistic no player wants to lead.

While there have been flashes of promise and moments of bad luck, it’s understandable that Liverpool fans are starting to worry about his barren run in front of goal.

However, there’s also a case to be made that Wirtz’s struggles reflect wider issues within the team rather than individual shortcomings. Liverpool’s attack has looked unusually flat this season — even Mohamed Salah has struggled to find his rhythm, with just four goals and two assists in 11 league matches. Alexander Isak’s ongoing fitness problems haven’t helped either, with the striker managing just one goal in all competitions so far.

Defensively, the Reds have been fragile as well, meaning the team has needed to score more to stay competitive — adding extra pressure on new attacking players like Wirtz.

Despite the disappointing stats, Wirtz’s underlying numbers suggest potential. His involvement in creating and taking chances indicates that he’s active and influential in buildup play, and those efforts could soon start to pay off.

Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann has also come to Wirtz’s defence, suggesting Liverpool’s struggles are partly to blame for the youngster’s slow start.

“Liverpool could help him out by finishing some of the chances he sets up,” Nagelsmann said in a press conference, as quoted by Sky Sports. “They don’t seem to want to score sometimes. The team as a whole isn’t as stable this year, so it’s harder for Flo to settle in and make an impact.

“If you watched the City game, Liverpool were second-best for most of it. So it’s tough for Flo — he just needs more time, and that’s completely normal for players adapting to the Premier League.”

In short, while Wirtz’s Liverpool career hasn’t yet taken off, there are encouraging signs that a breakthrough may only be a matter of time.