Explained: Why Florian Wirtz is missing for Liverpool against Chelsea

Liverpool were without key playmaker Wirtz for their Premier League meeting with Chelsea. The Germany international was not included in the matchday squad for the fixture at Anfield. Slot confirmed before kick-off that the midfielder had been ruled out due to illness. The 23-year-old had struggled throughout the week and was ultimately deemed unfit to play.

Speaking to TNT Sports before the match, Slot explained that Wirtz had attempted to recover in time but his condition worsened in the days leading up to the game.

"He tried everything to be in it. But an infection in the stomach," Slot explained. "He wasn’t feeling well during the week. He tried earlier in the week to train, but in the end things got worse and he wasn’t able to train with us yesterday and isn’t able to be with us today."

The absence of Wirtz forced Slot to reshuffle his attacking structure against Chelsea. Slot deployed Dominik Szoboszlai, Rio Ngumoha and Jeremie Frimpong to support Cody Gakpo, who was plotted as a striker. Meanwhile, despite a difficult start to the season, Wirtz has slowly but surely proven his worth in the Premier League. So far, he has contributed 17 goals in 47 appearances across all competitions.

Liverpool supporters will hope the illness proves to be a short-term setback for Wirtz. With three games remaining - including the clash with Chelsea - Slot's men face a tough schedule as they seek to qualify for next season's Champions League. If the midfielder recovers quickly, he is expected to return to his key role in Slot's system.