Hugo Bueno sends Liverpool message after Wolves beaten

Liverpool’s performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup has drawn praise from an unlikely source after defender Hugo Bueno admitted his side struggled to cope with the Reds’ quality.

Arne Slot’s team returned to Molineux just days after a painful Premier League defeat and produced a far more controlled display to secure a 3-1 victory and progress into the FA Cup quarter-finals.

After a quiet first half, Liverpool took control shortly after the break.

Andy Robertson opened the scoring with a powerful strike from distance before Mo Salah quickly doubled the lead, putting the Reds firmly in command of the tie.

Curtis Jones added a third later in the match, while Wolves could only manage a late consolation goal on a night where fringe and young players for the Reds garnered some strong praise.

Following the match, Bueno acknowledged that Liverpool simply operated at a higher level on the night.

Speaking to Wolves’ official website, the Spaniard admitted his side struggled to deal with the visitors’ quality.

He said: “They were two very different games [against Liverpool]. Today they really showed their level, they were on it and we couldn’t deal with it I don’t think.”

Liverpool quality proving difficult to stop

The 22-year-old defender suggested Wolves needed to produce a far stronger performance to compete with a side like Liverpool.

Bueno continued: “We carried on going but had to do more to beat a team like Liverpool.”

His comments reflect a wider trend in recent matches, where opposing teams have acknowledged just how difficult Liverpool can be to contain when performing at their best.

West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes admitted something similar earlier this season after the Hammers attempted to neutralise Virgil van Dijk’s set-piece threat.

Despite specifically targeting the Dutch captain in preparation, the London side still struggled to prevent Liverpool scoring multiple goals from those situations.

Wolves focusing on survival fight

While the FA Cup defeat was disappointing, Wolves remain fully focused on their fight to stay in the Premier League.

Bueno stressed that Rob Edwards’ squad understands the urgency of their situation heading into the final stretch of the season.

He explained: “We just have to win every game, we know that and it’s clear. We have eight finals left and we’re going to give 100 per cent in every single game.”

The defender also praised Edwards for keeping the group motivated despite their difficult league position.

Bueno added: “He just tries to motivate us the maximum he can. He tries to bring everyone together and have us fighting for the same objective.”

For Liverpool, meanwhile, the victory offered a timely confidence boost ahead of the Champions League clash with Galatasaray later this week.