Liverpool 2 Wolves 1: Battling display as Wolves push champions in latest defeat

Previously set at 17 games by Sheffield United in 2020/21, Wolves have now gone 18 matches without a win.

They defended fairly well in an uninspiring first half but two quickfire goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Florian Wirtz just before the break put the hosts in control.

Santi Bueno tapped Wolves back into the contest and the visitors played well in a second half that they were unlucky not to score in.

But another defeat makes it 11 on the spin in the Premier League, seven since Rob Edwards took over and sees them break the winless start record.

Analysis

Edwards made four changes to the Wolves side that lost to Brentford last time out.

18-year-old academy attacker Mateus Mane was given his first start, as Yerson Mosquera, Hugo Bueno and Tolu Arokodare also came into the team.

That meant Jorgen Strand Larsen was dropped, alongside Ki-Jana Hoever, David Moller Wolfe and Fer Lopez.

Before the match, respect was paid by both sets of fans towards Diogo Jota, in the first meeting between both teams since his tragic passing in the summer alongside his brother Andre Silva.

As the game got under way, Wolves were defending deep in their box as Liverpool controlled possession.

Both Milos Kerkez and Wirtz got into good positions down the left and got to the byline, but the final pass was missing as Wolves cleared their lines.

Hugo Ekitike came inches away from opening the scoring when Wirtz got the better of Andre in midfield and played a superb through ball for the striker, but he saw his shot come back off the post.

Mane had an opportunity when he got the ball on the edge of the box, won the physical battle to turn and shoot low and he had Alisson Becker scrambling to get down to it.

In the 20th minute, Wolves fans began chanting for the late Jota and the rest of Anfield responded with applause and chants of their own in a lovely moment between two sets of supporters.

Jose Sa was forced into a big save when he pushed Alexis Mac Allister’s shot onto the post. The offside flag was then raised as Federico Chiesa was standing in front of Sa in an offside position, but the goalkeeper did not know that when he made the stop.

Mane fired over from distance following a positive attacking run.

Wolves were defending fairly well and looked set to get to half-time at 0-0, until they fell asleep to concede twice before the break.

First, Jeremie Frimpong raced into the box and got beyond Joao Gomes and H.Bueno too easily to cut the ball back for Gravenberch to finish.

Moments later, Wolves lost the ball in midfield and Ekitike went on a central run and found Wirtz between defenders S.Bueno and Ladislav Krejci, and he finished beyond Sa.

Wolves had done fairly well up until that point, but had seemingly thrown the game away at the end of the first half.

But just seven minutes into the second half, Wolves dragged a goal back to give themselves some hope.

An Andre corner was met by Arokodare but his header was saved by Alisson, and centre-back S.Bueno was on hand to finish the rebound.

Wolves were certainly more in the game after that goal as they chased an equaliser, although the reigning champions offered some threat as Mac Allister forced Sa into a save.

Wolves had a golden chance when Jackson Tchatchoua crossed and found Arokodare with a free header, but he somehow nodded over the bar when he had to at least hit the target.

Larsen then put in a cross for Jhon Arias, who seemingly had a tap-in, until Conor Bradley made a stunning late tackle.

Cody Gakpo fired over late for Liverpool and Wolves, despite their second half efforts, were unable to find an equaliser as they fell to another defeat.

Key Moments

GOAL 41 Gravenberch fires Liverpool into the lead

GOAL 42 Wirtz nets a swift second to put Liverpool in control

GOAL 52 S.Bueno gets a goal back for Wolves

Teams

Wolves: Sa, Doherty (Tchatchoua, 62), Mosquera (Arias, 79), S.Bueno, Krejci, H.Bueno (Wolfe, 62), Andre, J.Gomes, Mane, Hwang (Larsen, 62), Arokodare.

Subs not used: Johnstone, Hoever, Rawlings, Gonzalez, Lopez.

Liverpool: Alisson, Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones, Wirtz (Nyoni, 92), Chiesa (Bradley, 61), Ekitike (Gakpo, 85).

Subs not used: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Robertson, Ramsay, Lucky, Ngumoha.