Slot backs his £116m ace to light up derby despite lack of goals and assists

ARNE SLOT has backed Florian Wirtz to handle the heat of the Merseyside derby because he has a mean streak to go with his dazzling skills.

- BY PAUL GORST

And the Kop boss claims Wirtz won't be inhibited by his £116m price tag in today’s lunchtime clash at Anfield.

The Germany international has yet to score a goal or create an assist in the Premier League since his move from Bayer Leverkusen.

But he turned in his most encouraging display to date in Wednesday's 3-2 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid.

“To say that he's [only] an artist doesn’t do him justice,” Slot said.

“He is an artist, but he can be mean as well. Otherwise, you can't reach the levels he’s reaching.

“He works incredibly hard here to get better. So that mentality he has inside of him, and you see that mentality when he loses the ball once or twice.

“He's not going to hide, he wants the third one, he wants the fourth one.