Wolves 2-1 Liverpool: Gomes 78, Andre 90+4; Salah 83
Liverpool were on the rise, Arne Slot’s side gathering momentum as they aim to cast aside a poor campaign and secure a Champions League berth that may save the Dutchman’s job in the summer.
That is, until they met Wolves, who have developed a strange propensity to upset the biggest teams in the league this season despite their own position at the depths of the Premier League table.
Wolves have taken points off both Arsenal and Manchester United this season, and through Andre’s deflected strike deep into stoppage time they went a step further at Molineux against the current champions, claiming a scarcely believable second victory in five days and leaving Liverpool’s Champions League qualification hopes with a big wound to heal.
Liverpool had looked utterly unconvincing throughout, mustering only half-chances against a Wolves side who had arrived with the league’s worst defensive record, even if they had managed an important win against Aston Villa last week that meant they avoided the indignity of contending with Derby County for the worst team in the history of the Premier League.
For more than an hour into this game barely anything happened. Then Rodrigo Gomes gave the hosts a 78th-minute lead with a clinical dinked finish after Tolu Arokodare outmuscled Virgil van Dijk.
Mohamed Salah appeared to have saved Liverpool’s blushes with his first goal in 10 league appearances when he pounced on Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s errant pass. But just as the visitors looked to have escaped, Wolves landed the final blow through Andre.
Alisson’s hopeful long ball forward was gathered by Yerson Mosquera, who sent the forward racing towards goal. His strike took a wicked deflection off Joe Gomez and looped beyond the despairing Alisson.
A few moments earlier in the game might have rescued Liverpool had they seized their chances. Jeremie Frimpong wasted one promising opening, ballooning over after a mesmerising run by Hugo Ekitike, who had left Matt Doherty for dead on a surging run from his own half.
Curtis Jones at half-time, and the substitute was immediately involved in a passage of play that somehow didn’t produce an equaliser.
Ekitike’s other creation should also have produced fruit. After the Frenchman’s dangerous flick on at the near post from a corner, Cody Gakpo could only hit the ball against a teammate’s chest. The ball then bounced off the crossbar and beyond Milos Kerkez.
Rio Ngumoha also struck a post after replacing Gakpo. In the end, it was Wolves who triumphed.
