There was much-needed positivity in the air after Liverpool beat Wolves 2-0 at Anfield, with a huge game with Man United also focused on.
The Reds ended up easing to victory on Wednesday evening, making it 10 points and four clean sheets in a row in their last quartet of Premier League games.
Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah got the goals for the Merseysiders – Darwin Nunez had earlier seen an effort harshly ruled out – on another night that hinted at progress being made.
Here’s how the watching media reacted to Liverpool’s win.
This was both an encouraging and important night for the Reds…
The Mirror‘s Mark Jones suggested that a top-four finish is slowly looking on the cards:
“Whisper it quietly, but Liverpool are on a bit of a roll in the Premier League now.
“This made it 10 points from the last 12 available, while Neves’ goal in Wolves‘ 3-0 win at Molineux in February remains the most recent they have conceded in the league.
“Is it inspirational stuff? No. Is it anything like the heights that this club have achieved in recent years under Klopp? No.
“But it is where they find themselves now, and as they adjust their sights and prepare for a run to the top four home straight, they might just have found something of themselves.”
On Twitter, David Lynch lauded the “determined” nature of the Reds’ win:
You could say it's only Wolves but Liverpool got thumped 3-0 by the same opponent only last month. A really determined performance the difference this time, as summed up by the refusal to let heads drop after Nunez's goal was ruled out and a fourth straight league clean sheet.
— David Lynch (@dmlynch) March 1, 2023
The Daily Mail‘s Ian Ladyman was a little more cautious, saying it was another small step in the right direction:
“For Jurgen Klopp and his players, fourth place is the height of their ambition this season and they remain outsiders even for that.
“But it’s still a possibility after this rather anxious but ultimately deserved victory and for that they have a right shoulder and a right thigh to thank.
“They may not be enough to completely turn around this season for Liverpool but they turned around this game and for now that feels like more than enough.”
Numerous individuals were key to Liverpool’s victory…
Chris Bascombe of the Telegraph focused on legendary duo Van Dijk and Salah, hailing their return to form:
“Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are on a mission. In a season of misery, their Champions League banishment would be a step too far.
“Scrutinised for the first time in their Liverpool career, the duo have three months in which to ensure their club’s deterioration is a brief aberration.
[…]
“This was a reassuring sign as Van Dijk looked more steady at the back alongside the much-missed Ibrahima Konate, while cracking the code in the opposing penalty area as Liverpool desperately sought the opening goal.
“Van Dijk’s recent problems may be a consequence of too much football and wear and tear.
“Salah, meanwhile, has continued to score regularly without hitting previous peaks. With the goal which effectively finished off Wolves, the Egyptian is just one short of Robbie Fowler’s Premier League tally for Liverpool.”
Ian Doyle of the Echo believes Van Dijk will be pivotal to Liverpool’s top-four hopes:
“At the back, Van Dijk – skipper for the evening with Jordan Henderson and James Milner benched – was impressive in negating what Wolverhampton Wanderers could muster, building on a decent showing during the forgettable goalless draw at Crystal Palace at the weekend.
“The mid-season World Cup was an evident distraction for the defender, further hampered on his return from Qatar by a hamstring injury that sidelined him for more than a month during which the Reds suffered.
“Now free of those issues, the Liverpool man is gradually recovering his form, helped this time by the return of Ibrahima Konate alongside him. There’s a reason they have become the first-choice centre-back pairing under Klopp.
[…]
“The gap to the top four is now down to six points with a game in hand, the Reds moving up to sixth. And if they are going to secure Champions League qualification, Van Dijk – as he has been throughout his Anfield career – is going to be pivotal.”
This Is Anfield‘s Mark Delgado saw signs of a Fabinho resurgence at Anfield:
“First, it’s worth noting the Brazilian’s performance. There’s not much other way to describe his season so far apart from brutal.
“But here against Wolves he was far more proactive and adventurous in the attacking half, pressing high upfield and winning the ball in dangerous areas more than once.
“And, defensively, he certainly played better than recent games, not perfect but a step forward and very harshly booked (for once!).”
Up next: Man United at Anfield this weekend…
Finally, Delgado called for Anfield to play a key role on Sunday:
“A week or two back, Anfield was rocking for the derby. Soon after, it was bouncing pre-game and 20 minutes into the Champions League tie against Real Madrid – but the subsequent 70 left the stadium deflated.
“That continued into the trip to Palace, albeit with the Reds as a minority of course, and then into the early period of this game.
“The performance was as flat as the atmosphere – a bit of a concern given Liverpool need to make Anfield their ‘guaranteed’ points from now for the rest of the season.
“It’s always a trade-off in who sets the spark, the fans or the team, but if the energy was easily destroyed by a big defeat, hopefully it will be just as quickly restored after a fairly routine win.
“Given it’s Man United set to visit Anfield at the weekend, it’s likely we’ll need it.”
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