Former Watford star turned pundit Troy Deeney was not happy with the performance of Florian Wirtz during Liverpool’s 1-0 win over the Cherries.

Troy Deeney spoke to talkSPORT after the game, where he gave his opinion on the German midfielder.

He said: “He just doesn’t look like he belongs in this league. What I mean by that is, he’s clearly talented; clearly he’s got the technical ability.

“But it’s like he doesn’t believe he’s going to score and doesn’t believe he’s going to impact the game. Liverpool need more from him.”

Deeney further noted how Wirtz’s hesitation was affecting the team’s dynamic on the pitch:

“The rest of the team are starting to disbelieve because every time it goes to him, the tempo slows down. And when they get back, it slows the whole thing down. Iraola just in front of us was absolutely blowing his top.”

Florian Wirtz yet to justify Liverpool price tag

(Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)

The harsh assessment comes as Wirtz continues to struggle to justify his massive price tag following his move from Bayer Leverkusen.

Despite showing glimpses of his supreme technical skill, the German international has managed just seven goals and assisted 11 across 55 appearances for Liverpool, leading to growing impatience among pundits and supporters alike.

During Sunday’s clash at the Vitality Stadium, Wirtz struggled to make a decisive mark in the first half before eventually being substituted in the 71st minute.

Jamie Carragher similarly called out the playmaker’s lack of output on commentary, describing his first-half showing as “nothing”.

While head coach Andoni Iraola pointed to Wirtz’s slight involvement in the build-up to Alexander Isak’s match-winner, Deeney’s brutal critique underscores the mounting pressure on the 23-year-old to deliver consistently in the Premier League.