Wirtz Shines as Salah Remains on Bench in Liverpool’s West Ham Victory
LONDON – Florian Wirtz’s performance for Bayer Leverkusen is fueling speculation about Liverpool’s previous transfer pursuit,while Mohamed Salah’s omission from the starting lineup in Liverpool’s 5-1 win against West Ham united on Sunday sparked renewed discussion about his role within the team.
Wirtz, who Liverpool were previously linked with before he suffered a serious ACL injury, delivered a standout performance, reportedly justifying the club’s decision to pursue other options in the interim. The article notes a cross from Liverpool’s right-back led to a Gakpo goal,with the right-back also claiming a direct assist.
Meanwhile, Salah was again named as a substitute by manager Arne Slot, 19 months after a similar situation at West Ham prompted a cryptic response from the Egyptian forward, where he stated “there will be fire” if he commented on being benched. Slot made the decision to bench four players following the team’s recent poor form.
Despite his absence from the pitch, the article suggests Liverpool may benefit from experiencing play without Salah ahead of his departure for the Africa Cup of Nations later this month, potentially returning revitalized.
The match also included a pre-game tribute to West Ham legend Billy Bonds, who recently passed away at the age of 79, receiving applause from all sections of the London Stadium.
