Liverpool 2-1 Wolves: Florian Wirtz gets his goal in unconvincing win

Liverpool scored twice in two minutes but threatened to crumble again, with Florian Wirtz‘s stellar first half the difference as they held on to beat Wolves 2-1.

Team News: Chiesa finally starts in the Premier League

With Conor Bradley only fit enough for the bench and Dominik Szoboszlai suspended, Arne Slot made two changes with Jeremie Frimpong and Federico Chiesa coming in.

It brought a first Premier League start for Chiesa since the 3-2 loss at Brighton at the end of the last season – and with the title already won by that point, the visit of Wolves was his first meaningful league start.

The Italian took up a place on the right flank, with Wirtz staying on the left and Alexis Mac Allister the most advanced midfielder.

Diogo Jota‘s sons, Dinis and Duarte, led Liverpool out as mascots alongside Virgil van Dijk.

First half: Wirtz dazzles and gets his first goal

Liverpool were, per the script, the aggressors throughout a dominant first half, with Rob Edwards’ winless Wolves sitting deep and looking to break when possible.

The hosts almost took the lead after just 11 minutes as Wirtz released Hugo Ekitike with a brilliant through ball, but the striker’s faded effort came back off Jose Sa’s post.

Wirtz was involved in most of Liverpool’s play, with the No. 7 combining particularly well with Milos Kerkez and Curtis Jones on the left-hand side.

Their opener came from the opposite flank, though, with Frimpong using his pace to drive through challenges to the byline to cut back for Ryan Gravenberch to finish.

A minute later they were 2-0 up, and it was Wirtz who found the back of the net for his first goal in a Liverpool shirt, catching Ekitike’s pass through the defence and poking through Sa.

Half-time: Liverpool 2-0 Wolves

Second half: An all-too-familiar follow-up

Unfortunately the second half did not begin as hoped, with Liverpool conceding within seven minutes of the restart and – shock, horror – it came from a Wolves set-piece.

Striker Tolu Arokodare rose highest above Ibrahima Konate and nodded the ball down, before Santiago Bueno thumped in from close range – and despite Konate’s protests of a foul the goal stood.

Slot responded with his first change of the afternoon around the hour mark, with Bradley taking over from Chiesa as Frimpong moved to the right wing.

Little changed, with Liverpool serving up a familiar, weak second half which will ask more questions of Slot’s instructions at the interval – and Wolves almost levelled only for a crucial block from Bradley.

Cody Gakpo came on for the final four minutes of normal time along with five added on, but it was Liverpool who were forced to hold on and scraped through to three points.

TIA Man of the Match: Florian Wirtz