Nev: Wirtz and Isak Liverpool's biggest disappointments - they must improve

Gary Neville labelled Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz as Liverpool's two biggest disappointments in their opening-weekend draw at Newcastle but has faith both can come good in the remainder of the season

Gary Neville called on Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak to improve after a year of "being kind to" Liverpool's £200m+ duo, but said he had faith the pair would come good despite being their "biggest disappointments" at Newcastle.

Isak played the entire 90 minutes on his first return to St James' Park since becoming the Premier League's most expensive player last summer, though offered little more than Wirtz who was substituted just after the hour mark for Alexis Mac Allister.

Both had offered hope in pre-season of better times to come after encouraging performances in Liverpool's friendlies under new boss Andoni Iraola, but neither could transfer that optimism into Sunday's league opener at St James' Park.

Speaking on the Gary Neville Podcast , Neville said: "The big thing for Liverpool is they've got this quarter-of-a-billion-pound front two, Isak and Wirtz and bloody hell, we've been kind to them.

"They're going to have to start playing sooner or later or else, to be fair, they're going to get quite a lot of criticism. For a start, they're too nice, and if you're going to be nice, you'd better be incredible at football.

"I don't see the tenacity in Wirtz in particular. I just see a nice player moving around the pitch, not really ever looking like he's busting a gut to do anything.

"Now, that can happen. Sometimes players have that flow about them, but I want to put a rocket up him. I want to put a rocket up him because there's ability there, there's talent there, the understanding of his position.

Despite their issues at St James' Park, Neville said he retained confidence the pair, who had impressed so consistently at Newcastle and Bayer Leverkusen respectively, could recreate that form on Merseyside with a year each under their belts at Anfield.

"I've watched them both for 12 months, and I do actually have faith in them," he said. "I think Isak's an exceptional player and we've seen it.

"I never saw anybody give Gabriel and Saliba or Van Dijk and Konate a tougher time as Isak did when he played at Newcastle in a black and white shirt. I've seen him be devastating.

"Now Liverpool fans and his team-mates and coaching staff, they need to see that - because that's £125m they've spent on him.

"And then Wirtz, he needs to sort himself out. Enough's enough now, we've talked about him enough. He's young and he's come to a different country - and I'm all for willing him on.

"They have both had a bit of a free ride. Obviously Isak was injured last season but Arne Slot loses his job, and Wirtz has played like that, so let's be clear, this has got me to start some real focus now.