Wirtz Confident in Liverpool's Advantage Against Bournemouth
Florian Wirtz believes Liverpool will walk into the Vitality Stadium on Sunday with a subtle but significant edge – their manager knows the opposition inside out.
Liverpool arrive on the south coast still unbeaten in the Premier League, with one win and three draws from their opening four fixtures, and hunting a second league victory of the campaign. The margins have been tight so far. Wirtz thinks Andoni Iraola’s past with Bournemouth could tilt this one.
Speaking to the club’s official website, the Germany international didn’t hide where he sees a potential advantage.
“We have to be very ready. I think the manager knows them really well, so maybe there's a small advantage we have – but we have to be ready and very focused for this game.”
It will be Iraola’s first meeting with the Cherries since leaving the club, a reunion that adds an extra layer of intrigue to an already important early‑season test.
Cup boost from the stands
Liverpool step into the weekend on the back of a 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup third round, a result that injected some much‑needed momentum into their stop‑start league form.
Wirtz wasn’t on the pitch for that one. Instead, he watched from higher up in the stands, seeing the game from a different angle – literally and figuratively.
“Of course, I'd rather be on the pitch! But it was the first time I watched it from higher up in the stadium in the stands,” he said.
“It was nice to watch, and it was also a good win for us and for the mind. That definitely helps to build the momentum.”
That win, and the feel‑good factor that came with it, is exactly what Liverpool want to carry into the Bournemouth clash.
A slow start, and a point to prove
Wirtz is expected to return to the matchday squad against Marco Rose’s side and will be desperate to leave more than just a tactical insight behind. His season, by his own standards, has barely flickered into life: one assist in five league games is a modest return for a player of his creative weight.
Iraola has stood by him. The Spanish coach has been clear that the 23‑year‑old will be judged on the same terms as everyone else, “whether he plays well or doesn't”. No special treatment. No excuses.
That support has a limit, though. If the performances don’t lift, the manager may be forced into a hard call and take him out of the firing line.
For now, Wirtz has what every attacking midfielder craves: another chance, a manager who knows the opposition, and a stage on Sunday to show that his season is finally ready to start.
