The decision came just days after the Reds’ dramatic Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid, where Virgil van Dijk’s stoppage-time strike sealed all three points. With three intense fixtures crammed into one week, Slot admitted he had little choice but to rotate his squad.
Speaking before kick-off, the manager explained:
> “We needed players ready for this game, fresh enough to handle the intensity from the very first whistle. It’s about making sure the team is balanced for the challenge.”
Isak, Liverpool’s £125m summer signing from Newcastle, made his debut in midweek and played close to an hour against Atletico. Slot suggested even the striker himself would probably agree it was wiser to hold him back at the start of such a demanding clash.
Wirtz, meanwhile, has featured in every match so far this season but has yet to register a goal contribution since the Community Shield. Slot has urged patience with the £116m German international, who is still adapting to the pace and physical demands of English football.
He added that Dominik Szoboszlai’s proven stamina and experience in the Premier League made him the preferred choice for such a high-intensity fixture.
> “Three games in seven days is no small task,” Slot noted. “For today, Szoboszlai is more accustomed to this rhythm than Florian, who is still adjusting from the Bundesliga. Wirtz will certainly play his part—but not from the start.”
With Everton arriving at Anfield desperate to derail Liverpool’s perfect start to the season, Slot’s brave call to bench two of his biggest summer signings shows just how carefully he is managing his squad during a crucial stretch of the campaign.
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