LFC CHRISTMAS GIFTS

WORLDWIDE DELIVERY

Liverpool looking to buck early kickoff trend with 4 in a row

Liverpool travel to Wolves looking to right the wrongs of a dismal showing at Molineux last season, but history still favours Jurgen Klopp‘s men in this fixture.

The Reds have a solid league record against this weekend’s opposition, but the kickoff time is something that has caused problems in the past.

 

Last season an anomaly?

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, March 1, 2023: Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk celebrates after scoring the first goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool have won 12 of the last 13 league encounters – a run going back to January 2011. The only defeat come in this meeting last season (3-0 at Molineux).

The Reds have completed a league double over Wolves in five of the last six seasons.

That 3-0 defeat was in February Liverpool’s heaviest in this fixture in more than 42 years.

In the last 36 league meetings home and away the Reds have kept 22 clean sheets.

Last season’s defeat is the only time in the last 13 league meetings home and away in which Liverpool have failed to score.

The last time the Reds failed to score in successive league visits to Molineux came in 1972.

In the Premier League, Liverpool have won 14, drawn two and lost two of the 18 encounters with Wolves.

Of the last 38 league goals scored in the fixture the Reds have scored 30.

Perhaps we shouldn’t be so worried!

 

The dreaded early kickoff

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 2, 2023: Liverpool's manager Jürgen Klopp during the pre-match warm-up before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Aston Villa FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool have won 10 of their 24 away league games under Jurgen Klopp that have kicked off at 12.30pm.

Last season, Liverpool failed to win any of their six games that began at 12.30pm, picking up three points from a possible 18.

The Reds drew at home to Chelsea (0-0) and on the road they drew 2-2 at Fulham and 0-0 at Everton before losing at Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth (both 1-0) and Man City 4-1.

Liverpool scored just four goals in those six matches.

It is not a kickoff time the manager likes, but let’s hope his side can buck those trends this weekend!

 

A promising start

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 2, 2023: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai celebrates after scoring the first goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Aston Villa FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Only eight times in their history have Liverpool had a better points tally from their opening four league games than their current 10.

Liverpool are currently on the longest unbeaten run of any team in the top-flight – 15 games without defeat (10 wins, 5 draws) since losing 4-1 at Manchester City on 1st April.

Mohamed Salah is the first player to score or assist in 10 consecutive appearances in the Premier League since Salah himself between August-December 2021 (15 games in a row).

Only two outfield players have played in every minute of the Reds league campaign so far – Andy Robertson and Dominik Szoboszlai.

The teams also met twice in the FA Cup last season with Liverpool winning here in a replay (1-0) and Harvey Elliott scoring the only goal.

Nunez and Salah both scored at Anfield in the initial 2-2 draw.

Curtis Jones could reach the landmark of 100 games for Liverpool in all competitions should he feature.

 

Scorers this season

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 19, 2023: Liverpool's Luis Díaz celebrates scoring their side's first goal making the score 1-1 during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Wolves: Doherty 2, Hwang Hee-chan 2, Kalajdzic 2, Cunha 1, Fraser 1, Fabio Silva 1

Liverpool: Diaz 2, Nunez 2, Salah 2, Jota 1, Szoboszlai 1, own goals 1


* Stats courtesy of LFC statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).