Liverpool worked their way back up the table with a third 2-0 win in the last four league games, seeing off Wolves thanks to second-half goals from Darwin Nunez and Mo Salah.
Liverpool 2-0 Wolves
Premier League (24), Anfield
March 1, 2023
Goals
Van Dijk 73′ (assist: Jota)
Salah 77′ (assist: Tsimikas)
Jurgen Klopp made six changes to the side that drew 0-0 at Crystal Palace, able to bring in the fit-again duo of Ibrahima Konate and Darwin Nunez for Joel Matip and Cody Gakpo, while replacing Andy Robertson, James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita with Kostas Tsimikas, Stefan Bajcetic, Fabinho and Harvey Elliott.
It meant a whole new midfield yet again, as the Reds’ engine room continues to be the source of much criticism.
A fourth meeting between the two sides in the last 53 days meant the fixture certainly had a familiar feel to it, although Liverpool at least avoided as bad a start as the last time in the 3-0 defeat at Molineux.
A dull first half saw the best two chances for the Reds fall to Elliott. First with a header from a Nunez cross five minutes before the break, then in stoppage time with a shot from the edge of the box, again from a Nunez set up.
Half time: Liverpool 0-0 Wolves
- 6 changes to the lineup
- Nunez goal disallowed
- Two goals in four minutes
- Reds move up to sixth in league
Liverpool thought they had the breakthrough in the 65th minute but Nunez’s goal was eventually disallowed for a foul by Jota.
The home fans needn’t have worried as the game turned with two goals in four minutes soon after.
The first arrived when Van Dijk headed in at the second attempt from an inswinging Trent Alexander-Arnold free kick that was kept in play by Jota.
And the second arrived from excellent work by Tsimikas down the left to set up Salah to finish from six yards out.
The result moves Liverpool up the table to sixth, with a fourth consecutive cleansheet in the league.
Next up is the visit of Man United to Anfield on Sunday.
TIA Man of the Match: Trent Alexander-Arnold
Referee: Paul Tierney
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold (Milner 89′), Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Elliott, Bajcetic (Henderson 79′); Salah, Jota (Gakpo 76′), Nunez (Firmino 89′)
Subs not used: Kelleher, Matip, Robertson, Keita, Jones
Wolves: Sa, Semedo, Dawson, Kilman, Bueno, Neves, Lemina, Sarabia, Moutinho, Nunes, Jimenez
Subs: Bentley, Ait-Nouri, Collins, Neto, Podence, Castro, Costa, Gomes, Traore
Next Match: Man United (home, Sunday 5 March)
Fan Comments