Florian Wirtz’s first Liverpool goal turned into a bizarre own-goal drama on Saturday evening when the German superstar’s long-range strike in a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Sunderland deflected off defender Nordi Mukiele and crossed the line, denying the €150 million signing his long-awaited breakthrough moment.
It took Wirtz 14 Premier League appearances, four Champions League outings, and this solitary cup tie before the ball finally rippled the net for Arne Slot’s side, but the official scorer’s credit went to the unfortunate Mukiele, leaving Anfield supporters in a mix of jubilation and frustration.
The 22-year-old, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen in a club-record summer deal, watched from the touchline as his shot sealed a 2-1 victory, sparking debates on social media about whether the goal rightfully belongs to him.
The incident unfolded in the 81st minute at the Stadium of Light, with Liverpool trailing 1-0 after a scrappy first half dominated by the Championship’s recently upgraded side’s resilient defence. Wirtz, who played for 90 minutes, collected the ball on the right flank and unleashed a venomous 30-yard curler that arrowed toward the top corner.
Mukiele, the towering French centre-back on loan at Sunderland from Paris Saint-Germain, lunged desperately to block but only succeeded in guiding the effort past helpless goalkeeper Anthony Patterson.
VAR officials reviewed the sequence for a lengthy three minutes before confirming the goal, but the deflection was deemed sufficient to award it as an own goal, much to the dismay of Liverpool’s travelling fans, who chanted Wirtz’s name regardless.
Slot, in his post-match press conference, refused to let the technicality dampen the mood. “Florian has been immense in training and those minutes he gets. That was his goal in every sense; the deflection was unlucky, but it shows his quality to create from nothing,” the Dutch manager said, praising the youngster’s vision and technique.
Wirtz himself, speaking to Sky Sports cameras pitchside, shrugged off the mishap with a grin. “I’ll take the one point over the stats line. The first one will come soon, and it will be a proper screamer.”
This peculiar milestone caps a challenging start for Wirtz at Anfield. Arriving in June amid sky-high expectations after dismantling defences in Leverkusen’s unbeaten Bundesliga title charge, the attacking midfielder struggled to replicate his 18-goal, 19-assist haul from last season.
In the Premier League, Liverpool’s high-pressing system under Slot clashed with Wirtz’s preference for fluid, possession-based play, leading to just three assists in his first dozen starts. Champions League ties against AC Milan and Benfica saw him stifled by tactical fouling, while a nagging hamstring tweak sidelined him for two weeks in October.
Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, now at Brentford, told BBC Radio Merseyside that “it’s normal for German talents to take time here. Think De Bruyne or Havertz; they all hit walls before exploding. Wirtz is class; this own goal nonsense is just the universe’s way of building character.”
The transfer saga that brought him to Merseyside remains one of 2025’s biggest. Liverpool fended off Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and Real Madrid with a €150 million package, including €100 million upfront and performance add-ons tied to trophies and individual accolades.
Leverkusen, reluctant to lose their homegrown gem, drove a hard bargain, but Wirtz’s verbal commitment to Slot sealed the deal. Teammate Jeremie Frimpong, signed for £30 million in the same window, has thrived at right-back, providing overlapping runs that could unlock Wirtz’s central creativity further.
Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris, fuming over the deflection, called it a “harsh twist” but praised Mukiele’s commitment. The Black Cats, dreaming of a Wembley semi-final, now regroup for a relegation scrap, while Liverpool eye a festive fixture pile-up including Manchester City on December 15.
For Wirtz, the wait continues, but with 28 games left in the league and Champions League progression secured, the Kop faithful remain patient. As one banner at the away end read: “Wirtz Will Score – And It Will Be Epic.”
