Goals from Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah earned Liverpool a hard-fought Premier League win against Wolverhampton Wanderers that boosts their hopes of finishing in the top four.
Jurgen Klopp’s side looked to be facing a frustrating evening when Darwin Nunez’s strike was ruled out by VAR.
However Reds captain Van Dijk made the breakthrough with a close-range header from Diogo Jota’s cross before Salah turned in a Konstantinos Tsimikas cut-back.
It moves Liverpool up to sixth in the Premier League, six points behind fourth-place Tottenham with a game in hand.
Wolves remain 15th, three points above the relegation zone, having offered minimal threat going forward.
Van Dijk lifts toiling Liverpool
Having failed to score in four of their previous six Premier League matches, Klopp will have been buoyed by the return of Nunez after a shoulder problem kept him out of the tame draw at Crystal Palace.
However for all the hard work of the Uruguay striker, Liverpool toiled going forward for the majority of the game before getting their breakthrough via the aftermath of a set-piece.
Trent Alexander-Arnold whipped in a free-kick that Van Dijk guided towards goal off his shoulder.
Jose Sa made a good save but Jota kept the ball in and the Netherlands defender’s second header from close range found the roof of the net.
It audibly lifted the tension around Anfield and Liverpool’s second goal was a much more pretty sight.
Alisson found Tsimikas with a raking pass to the left and the Greece left-back raced into the area before pulling back to Salah.
The Egypt forward guided the cross in off his thigh to move one goal short of equalling Robbie Fowler’s haul of 128 Premier League goals for Liverpool.
Following the chastening 5-2 home defeat to Real Madrid and the dour draw at Palace at the weekend, this was a much-need lift for Liverpool before the game against Manchester United this weekend.
Wolves lack bite once again
Before taking the lead, moments of quality from Liverpool at a subdued Anfield were rare.
When they did create an opening it was usually through the determination and running power of Nunez.
In the 35th minute, the former Benfica striker raced on to a pass and cut the ball back from the touchline only to see the recalled Harvey Elliott wastefully head wide from eight yards.
Just after the hour mark Nunez appeared to have put Liverpool ahead, finishing a loose ball smartly from six yards.
However, Jota was judged by VAR to have caught Nelson Semedo as he carried the ball into the box and referee Paul Tierney ruled the goal out after consulting the pitch-side monitor.
Liverpool fans may have feared this was going to be the defining moment of the game but Van Dijk intervened soon after with the goal his side’s play just about warranted.
Wolves defended stoutly and with organisation but were again toothless in front of goal, hamstrung by the absence of Matheus Cunha. The Brazil striker failed a late fitness test following an ankle injury picked up at Fulham on Friday.
His replacement in the starting XI was midfielder Joao Moutinho as manager Julen Lopetegui reverted to a three-man midfield with the Portuguese veteran sitting alongside Mario Lemina and Ruben Neves.
It effectively stifled Liverpool for some time, but Wolves may well have to offer a bit more than just discipline in the coming weeks to ensure their Premier League status for 2023-24.
Player of the match
van DijkVirgil van Dyke
Wolverhampton Wanderers
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Squad number8Player nameRuben Neves
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Squad number15Player nameDawson
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Squad number23Player nameKilman
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Squad number1Player nameJosé Sa
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Squad number5Player nameLemina
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Squad number3Player nameAit Nouri
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Squad number22Player nameNelson Semedo
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Squad number64Player nameBueno
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Squad number28Player nameJoao Moutinho
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Squad number27Player nameMatheus Nunes
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Squad number37Player nameTraore
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Squad number21Player nameSarabia
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Squad number10Player nameDaniel Podence
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Squad number9Player nameJimenez
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Squad number35Player nameJoão Gomes
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Squad number29Player nameDiego Costa
Line-ups
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Alisson
- 66Alexander-ArnoldSubstituted forMilnerat 89′minutes
- 5Konate
- 4van Dijk
- 21Tsimikas
- 19Elliott
- 3FabinhoBooked at 53mins
- 43BajceticBooked at 15minsSubstituted forHendersonat 79′minutes
- 11Salah
- 20WhomSubstituted forSteelat 76′minutes
- 27NuñezSubstituted forFirminoat 89′minutes
Substitutes
- 7Milner
- 9Firmino
- 14Henderson
- 15Oxlade-Chamberlain
- 18Steel
- 26Robertson
- 28Carvalho
- 32Matip
- 62Kelleher
Wolves
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1The one
- 22Nelson SemedoBooked at 36mins
- 15Dawson
- 23Kilman
- 64BuenoSubstituted forAit Nouriat 24′minutes
- 8NevesBooked at 68mins
- 5Lemina
- 21SarabiaBooked at 45minsSubstituted forTraoreat 45′minutes
- 28Joao MoutinhoSubstituted forPodenceat 64′minutes
- 27NunesSubstituted forJoão Gomesat 64′minutes
- 9JimenezSubstituted forDiego Costaat 79′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Ait Nouri
- 4Collins
- 7Neto
- 10Podence
- 19Castro Otto
- 25Bentley
- 29Diego Costa
- 35João Gomes
- 37Traore
Live Text
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Match ends, Liverpool 2, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0.
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Second Half ends, Liverpool 2, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0.
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Foul by Harvey Elliott (Liverpool).
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Rayan Aït-Nouri (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Substitution, Liverpool. James Milner replaces Trent Alexander-Arnold.
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Substitution, Liverpool. Roberto Firmino replaces Darwin Núñez.
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Foul by Konstantinos Tsimikas (Liverpool).
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Adama Traoré (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Darwin Núñez (Liverpool).
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Adama Traoré (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Darwin Núñez (Liverpool).
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Adama Traoré (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Attempt missed. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
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Foul by Cody Gakpo (Liverpool).
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Craig Dawson (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Diego Costa replaces Raúl Jiménez.
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Substitution, Liverpool. Jordan Henderson replaces Stefan Bajcetic.
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Goal! Liverpool 2, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Konstantinos Tsimikas.
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Substitution, Liverpool. Cody Gakpo replaces Diogo Jota.
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Goal! Liverpool 1, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) header from very close range to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Diogo Jota following a set piece situation.
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