Match Report- Liverpool vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

Liverpool enjoyed 52% of the position in the first half, hitting three out of 10 shots on target against Wolves. The Reds scored the first goal in the 15^th minute after a clever transition from Diogo Jota allowed Mohamed Salah to find Luis Diaz on the left side of Wolves’ goal.

The scrappy finish provided Liverpool with a much-needed goal and Salah added another in the 37^th minute after Alexis Mac Allister’s through ball allowed Diaz to break the Wolves’ defensive line, leading to a foul from Jose Sa. The Egypt captain’s goal provided Liverpool with a much-needed two-goal cushion against the visitors who never stopped creating chances for themselves.

Second-half

Wolves thoroughly dominated the second half of the game from the start, surprising the Anfield fanbase and the home team. The Wanderers had 10 shots with three on target while reducing the Reds to no effort on goal.

Liverpool had a Salah goal disallowed in the second half with VAR failing to check the goal with offside lines. The second-half also involved a penalty incident on Jota but the VAR check rightfully negated the decision after the Portuguese forward was caught simulating.

Flamboyant Wolves forward Matheus Cunha scored the only goal for the visitors in the 67^th minute of the game. However, the atmosphere and the Wolves’ continuous dominance created a frustrating 20 minutes for Liverpool.

The glaring concern

Liverpool showed signs of fatigue, particularly in midfield where they failed to maintain control of the ball. Meanwhile, Diaz struggled to stretch the play and provide an attacking outlet on the left side of the attack while Jota got completely nullified due to his limitations in influencing the overall game.

Premier League used the X account to reveal that Liverpool’s failure to register a shot in the second half is the first time on record that they failed to register a shot in a single 45-minute at Anfield.

The Reds cannot afford to make similar mistakes in their upcoming fixtures which are tough and within a short period. Liverpool will face Aston Villa next in the away game followed by another away Premier League clash with Manchester City. The Reds will face Newcastle United at Anfield on the 27 ^th of February, followed by a home game against Southampton.

There is a genuine concern of a repeat of last season when Liverpool’s form declined suddenly, costing them numerous titles. At the same time, winning the games despite not reaching their best is a necessary part of becoming a Premier League champion. As 13 games remain in the Premier League, the Reds need to take every game as a finale.