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If Florian Wirtz was unaware of the intense scrutiny that accompanies being Liverpool's second most expensive signing, he's certainly aware now.
It seems there isn't a day that passes without a pundit weighing in on his performances for the Reds.
And there's good reason for it. Despite creating more opportunities for his teammates than any other Premier League player this season, with 21 chances to his name, Wirtz has yet to find the back of the net or provide an assist for Liverpool since setting up Hugo Ekitike just four minutes into his competitive debut in the Community Shield loss to Crystal Palace.
This has prompted comments from Anfield legend Jamie Carragher and former Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney, suggesting that the German international might need to be benched from Arne Slot's starting XI.
Owen Hargreaves, who made a name for himself in Germany with Bayern Munich before joining Manchester United and playing alongside Rooney, echoes the concerns of his former club colleague and Carragher.
"They were so good last year, they looked like they should blow everyone away," TNT Sports expert Hargreaves said of the Reds, who will head to Chelsea on Saturday for their final Premier League game before the international break on the back of two straight defeats.
"This year, they have signed some really good players, but Wirtz, when you pay that money, you try to get him in.
"But actually, that midfield three was the best in the league last year. You couldn't get better than [Ryan] Gravenberch, [Alexis] Mac Allister and [Dominik] Szoboszlai. All of a sudden, you spend that money on Florian, and you've got to play him really.
"They've tried to get him in, and then Szoboszlai has played at right back, and I just think the balance is off. [Ibrahima] Konate has made a few mistakes, which we didn't see last year. I just think it's a balance issue.
"They've got two new full-backs; the addition of Wirtz, [Alexander] Isak. You've got to think that they've got so many great players. It goes back to the Arsenal-[Mikel] Arteta thing; you've just got to get the balance right on the game."
But Danny Murphy, the former Liverpool midfielder who represented England alongside Hargreaves, holds a different view.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Murphy said: "Well, if you can't see where he gets in the team, you've not been watching Liverpool. He gets in the team as a 10
"The reason they brought him in is because they don't want a Szoboszlai-like player in that position. They want a more creative player, that's why they brought him in.
"The fact he's not doing it right now, people will go towards Szoboszlai as a selection because he gives them the athleticism and the tenacity because they think that's what's the proof."
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