Wolves v Liverpool preview: Wolves look to catch Reds cold after the break
Before too long, the necessity for results will creep up on Gary O’Neil and Wolves.
Of course, the club and head coach will have wanted more than three points from the opening four Premier League games, but there is a general understanding among the hierarchy that O’Neil has arrived in difficult circumstances and needs time.
But there has been a sense of deja vu in Wolves’ start to the season. A very good performance against Manchester United yielded nothing, and some mixed displays since then are yet to be convincing.
At the start of last season, Bruno Lage struggled for points and was left chasing his tail, before he was sacked after just eight league games.
O’Neil has, rightly, been given time to get his ideas across and the international break would have helped with that, but he now needs results to reward his work in the background.
There is no pressure on the head coach just yet but getting more points on the board will only aid him, particularly with the fixtures coming up.
Returning from an international break to face Liverpool is a tough ask, but Wolves have benefitted from their underdog position in the past.
Getting the Molineux support behind them and playing on the front foot would be a smart tactic, alongside enough defensive discipline to keep the Reds at bay.
Although Wolves are expected to get nothing from the game, a loss would put more pressure on the trip to Luton next week.
That fixture already has the potential to be a huge one, and puts slightly more importance on Wolves getting something from tomorrow.
With Manchester City and Villa at home the two games following that, O’Neil needs some inspired performances to get through this run.
Looking at tomorrow, Wolves must take advantage of Liverpool’s defensive woes. Virgil van Dijk is missing through suspension, while Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konate are injury doubts.
Liverpool have dangerous forward players, but with an early kick-off tomorrow and long flights for international games – with Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz playing in South America and Mohamed Salah with Egypt – Jurgen Klopp may have to shuffle his side.
Wolves must also focus on what they do well and a game back at Molineux is the perfect opportunity to unleash Jean-Ricner Bellegarde.
The £12.8million transfer deadline day signing has been training at Compton throughout the international break and has had time to adjust to O’Neil’s methods – even if he is yet to play a competitive minute. Useful as a central midfielder or out wide, he would be the most likely new signing to come straight into the side, while Tommy Doyle could also play if O’Neil chooses to fight for more possession and control in the fixture.
Bolstered by new signings and with time to take stock, Wolves now need to perform.
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.