Wolves 1, Liverpool 2 - Recap: Liverpool Climb to the Top of the League

Today at 02:30 PM

A look back at the key moments in Liverpool's victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League.

Wolves 1 - 2 Liverpool

Wolves: Ait-Nouri 56'
Liverpool: Konaté 45+2', Salah 61' (pen)

Pre-Match

No Darwin Núñez in today's match squad. The attacker is out due to illness. Alisson Becker has returned to the team, but otherwise the starting XI is unchanged. A win today would be a good opportunity because Manchester City lost two points against Newcastle.

First Half

The game opened up a bit spotty for the Reds. Trent Alexander-Arnold picked up a quick and unnecessary yellow card for kicking the ball out of bounds after the whistle. Wolves seemed up for it as the game kicked off.

About 10 minutes in, Liverpool got close with Mohamed Salah sending a cross right in front of the goal. Unfortunately, Diogo Jota couldn't quite get his toe on it to poke it home, and the goalkeeper handled it easily. Moments later, it was Salah who nearly got on the end of Andy Robertson's pass across the face of the goal. The Wolves defender got a bit of a touch on him, but not enough to earn a penalty.

After the first quarter-hour, the Reds worked themselves into the game, keeping possession, pressing, and forcing Wolves into set pieces. However, following that, it was wave after wave of Wolverhampton attacks. Liverpool contained it, but it was uncomfortable. The fight ended with Alisson making a diving save to his far corner to finally reset play.

Liverpool's best chance of the game came about 40 minutes into the first half. Liverpool were on a break. Robertson slung a perfect cross right to Dominik Szoboszlai's feet in front of the goal. Szoboszlai got his foot on it, but the goalkeeper managed an instinctual save to deny him.

I had to guess who would finally make the breakthrough for Liverpool, Ibrahima Konaté would be pretty far down on my list. But it's the French defender who notches his first ever Premier League goal. Jota on the wing sent a hopeful cross into the center of the box. Ibra is the head that soared above the others, and he smashed it home at close range moments before halftime.

Second Half

Returning from halftime, Liverpool almost capitalize on a lazy pass from a Wolves defender in front of their own goal. Salah intercepted, but his first time touch went wide of the goal.

On the other end, a Wolves break was cut out effectively by a lovely tackle from Alexander-Arnold.

Konaté giveth and Konaté taketh away. Terrible communication with Alisson in the back left the door wide open for Wolves to pounce on a loose ball in front of goal and stick it in. That was embarrassing. Woof.

On nearly the next play, Liverpool got a lifeline. Jota was dragged to the ground for a penalty. Salah made no mistake when took it, putting Liverpool back on top. I bet Ibra breathed a sigh of relief there.

Szoboszlai and Luis Díaz are the first Liverpool players subbed off. In their places are Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo. Jones nearly added a cushion to their lead, sprinting down on a fast break, but his shot was saved by the keeper.

Robertson got raked down the Achilles and came off for Joe Gomez for his protection in the last few minutes of normal time.

Despite conceding in the second half, Liverpool leave Molineaux with all three points.

Final Thoughts

It wasn't another clean sheet, but Liverpool have gone to the top of the league with their victory over Wolves.