Liverpool v Wolves: Premier League

The Guardian

16-02-2025

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1 min Clever from Liverpool, the corner taken short by Robertson and moved across the box by Mac Allister, only for Alexander-Arnold to miscue a shot wide. Share
1 min Immediately, Liverpool get it forward, and a Slaha cross is blocked behind into the Kop, so the hosts have a corner after 10 seconds. Share
1 min Away we go! Share
'I'm not totally convinced by Liverpool either,' emails Karen Asad. 'They're just filling the void left by City's fall in; a look at their players and all the contract talks show the future is rockier than it may seem. Champions League isn't what it used to be either, so the real test there is yet to come. You know when they face Real Madrid!'
Madrid might not progress any further, but at the same time, City might be at their best when we get down to the biggest games. I don't think that his season, Big Ears will be lifted by a side that'll go down in history as one of the best, nor by a side we're certain are Europe's best; it'll be whichever hits form at the right time, which is why this blip might suit Liverpool. Share
Our teams are tunnelled … and here they come! Share
From Wolverhampton near Molineux, Peter Higginson gets in touch: 'Had the remains of a pork balti for lunch in anticipation of our win today at Anfield. Predict 2-1 win with both goals by Cunha. If I'm wrong I'm going to have another pork balti for tea as a punishment!'
Remains? Do you not like eating? Shame on you! Share
What would you do if you were Alexander-Arnold (for avoidance of doubt, I know you're not):
1. Stop at Liverpool and be an eternal legend at your hometown club while winning trophies along the way.
2. Sign for Real Madrid, be a Real Madrid player, experience something new, make mega-money, and play with various of the generation's greatest players.
On the one hand, it's not easy; on the other, you can't lose. Share
On telly, they're talking about Emmanuel Agbadou, signed by Wolves from Rennes in January, and he looks a good player with all the attributes you'd want in a centre-back. Early days, and this'll be a very different test for him; I'm looking forward to seeing how he handles it. Share
Vitor Pereira says his team have come to Anfield to compete and enjoy each minute of the game. Liverpool are very strong, but he wants his team to feel proud at the end of the game. Share
Email! 'To misquote a certain football-loving French philosopher (according to Monty Python anyway),' writes Ian Copestake, 'I wholly disagree with what you say about a blip in your context (and Spurs)-free preamble but will contend to the death for your right to say it.'
I may have addressed that apparent absence below. Share
So where is the game? I'm certain that Wolves, like every team facing Liverpool, will target the space in and around around and behind Alexander-Arnold who, for all his glorious passing and crossing, lack defensive nous and recovery pace. There could scarcely be a duo better-placed to exploit that than Ait-Nouri and Cunha while, on the other side, Semedo and Sarabia will also feel they can do something against the flagging Andy Robertson, especially on the counter.
Liverpool, meanwhile, will expect to outnumber Wolves in midfield, therefore dominating the ball, targeting the space behind the wing-backs with Jota scavenging in the box. And if all else fails, they can just give it Salah. Share
On Sky, Jamie Carragher has just referred to Liverpool's performance in the second leg of League Cup semi as one of their best this season, which I guess unwittingly echoes the preamble. Spurs' performance that night was one of the most spineless, supine subsidences it's every been my amusement to watch, and as such, it's difficult to say too much about Liverpool's effort; they were allowed to do what they wanted by opposition apparently terrified by the simple fact of their existence. Share
Wolves, meanwhile, make one change to the side that won at Villa in their last league game: Joao Gomes was suspended for that one but returned to score at Blackburn in the Cup, and he replaces Jean-Ricner Bellegarde. Share
Back to Slot's XI, It's pretty solid. I do wonder if Bradley would've been a better option to combat Cunha than Alexander-Arnold, but I guess at home in particular, Slot wants the opposition to worry about him. Otherwise, I don't suppose Nunez will be gratified to see Jota preferred to him – real talk, both are great subs but less good from the start – but it's pretty hard for anyone to complain about anything the Liverpool manager does, given where they are. Share
But let's wait a second because here's Arne Slot, who says next time he hopes he's a bit calmer when things don't work out well and takes his time before talking the ref. However he also hopes his team take the anger and aggression he felt then and they're feeling now into today; Wolves are also fighting for something, he adds, and the league is such that every you need a reaction in every game.
It's been a while since Jota has started and they've brought him along slowly, but he's an important player – though he also has Nunez, so has options. And though Vitor Pereira has said Wolves will attack, Slot says his team are ready to face man-to-man pressing all over the pitch, or a low block. Share
Two changes for Liverpool: Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota come in, with Conor Bradley dropping to the bench; Cody Gakpo, in such great form, is injured. Share
Already under way: Arsenal v Tottenham: Women's Super League – live Share
I'll write these down, then we'll ponder what they might mean. Share
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Jota, Diaz. Subs: Kelleher, Endo, Nunez, Chiesa, Elliott, Tsimikas, McConnell, Quansah, Bradley.
Wolverhampton Wanderers (3-4-2-1): Sa; Doherty, Agbadou, Toti; Semedo, J.Gomes, Andre, Ait-Nouri; Sarabia, Cunha; Guedes. Subs: Bentley, Bueno, Munetsi, Traore, Doyle, Forbs, Bellegarde, Djiga, Lima.
Referee: Simon Hoooper and not Michael Oliver (Swindon) Share
Defeat at PSV, defeat at Plymouth, a draw at Everton; Liverpool might just be enduring a blip that felt inevitable. But given Arne Slot's men are in the last 16 of the Champions League, in the final of the League Cup, and sat four points clear at the top of the league with a game in hand, does it even matter?
Er, yes – but not in the way we might think. It feels fair to say that this is not, perhaps yet, a vintage Liverpool side: they are vulnerable down the sides, could use a centre-back to play next to Virgil van Dijk, and the midfield is good but not great. They may also be over-reliant on Mohamed Salah … except that's unavoidable when you have a great player and irrelevant when he's impervious to injury.
So with no domestic rival likely to make the title race into a serious contest, and no European rival even remotely convincing, a wobble now is to be welcomed. Though James Tarkowski's midweek equaliser will have stung for reasons that have nothing to do with trophy accumulation, Liverpool have time and scope to ride out a slip in form, before rediscovering something better in time for the Premier League run-in and Champions League knockouts. They are set.
However there's always a however so, however: Wolves are dangerous visitors. Matheus Cunha is in the middle of a superb season, a ridiculosity of power, imagination and execution able to seize matches nominally contested by 21 others and make them solely about him. He'll fancy the occasion, he'll really fancy the right side of Liverpool's defence, and if his side return home with a result, maybe, just maybe, a blip could intensify into something altogether more arresting.
Kick-off: 2pm GMT Share