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Florian Wirtz is a major doubt for Liverpool’s Premier League trip to Wolves on Tuesday, manager Arne Slot has explained in an update on the midfielder’s back injury.
Germany international Wirtz missed the Reds’ 5-2 home win over West Ham on Saturday and their 1-0 victory at Nottingham Forest six days earlier.
Here’s what Slot had to say as he prepared his team for two matches against the bottom side at Molineux in four days.
A standout performance from Florian Wirtz against Wolves 💫 pic.twitter.com/LT9jsIrPOB
— Premier League (@premierleague) December 27, 2025
Florian Wirtz injury: Timescale ‘next week’
“Tomorrow will probably come too soon and maybe the game at the weekend, as well,” Slot replied when he was asked about Wirtz’s availability on Monday.
“Let’s see. We hope to have him back next week – maybe earlier, maybe a bit later, but that timescale.”
That means Wirtz could return for the first leg of the Champions League last 16 at Galatasaray on March 10. Liverpool also host Tottenham in the Premier League five days later.
How much will Liverpool miss Florian Wirtz? Stats, goals
Wirtz made a slow start following his £116 million arrival from Bayer Leverkusen in June on a five-year deal, failing to produce a goal or assist in his first 12 league appearances.
The 22-year-old was in fine form before his injury, recording 10 direct goal involvements in 15 appearances in all competitions after opening his account for the club in their 2-1 home win over Wolves on December 27.
The 2025 German Footballer of the Year was named in Liverpool’s team at Forest but sustained the issue during the warm-ups.
Liverpool were expecting many of their goals this season to come from £125m record signing Alexander Isak, but the Sweden striker is recovering from a broken leg.
Hugo Ekitike is their leading marksman with 15 goals in all competitions. Mohamed Salah was last season’s Premier League top scorer but has netted only seven times in 2025/26.
Here are Liverpool’s top scorers this season. Ekitike also scored in their Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace.
What’s next for Liverpool? Fixtures, schedule
Liverpool will move fourth in the table above Aston Villa if they beat Wolves, who won 2-0 at home to the Villans on Friday.
They then face the same fixture in the FA Cup fifth round before resuming their Champions League campaign in Istanbul.
