Liverpool 1 Wolves 0 - Report and pictures
Sadio Mane's 42nd minute strike was the difference, but without the intervention of the video officials it could have been a different story at Anfield.
Referee Anthony Taylor saw his decision to disallow Mane's goal, for what he viewed as handball by Adam Lallana to assist, overturned by VAR.
Pedro Neto's first-half leveller would also be chalked off by the video officials as Jonny Castro-Otto's boot was ruled to have been a whisker offside.
The right decisions on paper by the letter of the law, but once again, a demoralising day for English football.
Though if that 3-2 win over Manchester City had not put them on the map, then this display at the men certain to take their title showed that Wolves are a test for anyone in this league, even with a number of changes.
Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo made four changes from the side that fought back to beat Manchester City 3-2 on Friday.
Those changes had a dual purpose as Wolves tried to rest and protect a number of their key men due to the ridiculous 44-hour gap between games and make a tactical shift in an attempt to nullify Liverpool.
Leading scoring Raul Jimenez, right forward Adama Traore, defender Romain Saiss and wing-back Matt Doherty all moved to the bench.
Young defender Max Kilman, experienced centre-half Ryan Bennett, forward Pedro Neto and wing-back Ruben Vinagre all came into the side.
Striker Patrick Cutrone did not take his spot on the bench due to illness in what could have been a big chance for the Italian.
Those changes saw Leander Dendoncker push up into midfield as Nuno shifted from 3-4-3 to 3-5-2.
Neves took a deeper midfield role with Dendoncker and Moutinho in advanced roles either side.
With Doherty rested Jonny moved to right wing-back with Vinagre brought in to try and diffuse the pace of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
But the Liverpool man would not be silenced as Mo Salah flicked his right wing centre just over at the near post.
Wolves looked to sting on the counter through the pace of Neto and Jota as they opted for similar tactics that fuelled the 2-0 win at Champions City earlier in the season.
It appeared the aim was to restrict Liverpool's wing-play but the chances flowed for the home side.
Georginio Wijnaldum fired over after Bennett had cleared a short corner into his path and Roberto Firmino's strike was deflected into the palms of Rui Patricio.
Salah got closer but his first-time volley from a Sadio Mane knock-down was well held by the Wolves keeper.
Mane saw an effort deflect just wide with Roberto Firminio nodding the subsequent set-piece past the opposite right-stick as Liverpool upped the ante.
But Wolves, powered by Neves' gritty performance in front of the talismanic Coady, held firm.
That goal would come though, but once again the purity of football was overshadowed by VAR.
Referee Anthony Taylor had ruled that Adam Lallana had handled the ball as he pushed it into the path of the unmarked Mane at the back post.
Mane went on to fire past Patricio but Taylor disallowed the goal and pointed to his arm.
Though we once again heard the 'VAR check' boom over the PA system at Anfield.
The officials ruled that Lallana had used his shoulder, not his arm to control the ball and Taylor overturned his decision.
It would leave a bitter taste in the mouth though when a full replay showed a handball by Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk in the build-up to Lallana receiving the ball.
Wolves, as always, bounced back but they would be floored by the video officials once again.
They had celebrated a leveller before that flash of purple flashed up to question Pedro Neto's first Premier League goal.
It was a peach of a strike by the young Portuguese forward, but one that would not count.
The video officials ruled a slither of Jonny's boot was offside before he fizzed the ball to the on-running Neto at the top of the box.
It felt like VAR had sucked the life out the ground in that first-half against City and this was another severe sucker-punch, especially given Neto's celebratory knee-slide towards the Liverpool crowd.
Wolves captain Coady was incensed by that decision in first-half injury time, with the deliberation process both long and unclear to the crowd and players.
But they refused to roll over and he would lead his men out fighting in the second half.
Nuno had got his tactics spot-on in the first half, just that controversial Mane opener the difference between this Wolves crop and the league leaders.
The Wolves boss sent his side out with more of an attacking intent in the second 45, Jota smashed the ball wide as Wolves pressed for an early leveller.
But Nuno would make the changes we had anticipated when the team news dropped as the clock ticked on.
Adama Traore and Romain Saiss entered the fray for Neves and Dendoncker as Wolves shifted to their usual attacking 3-4-3.
That saw Saiss join Moutinho in the middle, Jonny and Vinagre push higher up the pitch, with Traore joining Neto and Jota up top.
The move left Wolves more vulnerable to Liverpool's pace but also gave them a fresh a lease of life in attack.
Jota was the danger-man for Wolves in Jimenez's central role and he robbed van Dijk to create an opportunity.
But he could only sting Alisson's palms with Jimenez entering the fray to replace him and take on his central striker role.
The Wolves forward saw an effort deflected wide with Vinagre, Moutinho and Traore also creating late opportunities.
Wolves could not find a way through Jurgen Klopp's red wall and they suffered a rare defeat.
Key Moments
31 - Liverpool threaten - but Firmino's effort goes narrowly wide. Bennett manages to stop Mane from wriggling free. He concedes a corner, though, and after that, the Brazilian heads just past the far post.
43 - Goal. Liverpool lead thanks to a VAR intervention. Mane sticks the ball in the net and, after the referee had initially disallowed the goal for a handball from Lallana, a review of the footage decides it was not a handball. VAR deems another handball, from Van Dijk, in the build-up inconclusive.
45 - VAR denies Wolves an equaliser! Otto gets to the byline and cuts the ball back to the edge of the box, where Neto curls it into the far corner. A fantastic finish from the youngster. VAR, though, rules Otto's toe was offside in the build-up. Sickening.
68 - Chance for Nuno's charges! Jota catches Van Dijk napping and surges into the box. He shoots from an acute angle, and Alisson makes the save. Neto was free in the six-yard box. Could have squared it there.
88 - Another opportunity for Wolves! They break forward, and the ball finds Neto at the far post. The youngster heads it to compatriot Moutinho, but he fires over from the edge of the area - and Saiss follows suit seconds later.
Teams
Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Wijnaldum (Milner, 86), Lallana (Keita, 67); Mane, Firmino (Origi, 86), Salah
Subs not used: Adrian (gk), Williams, Jones, Elliott
Goal: Mane (43)
Wolves (3-5-2): Patricio; Bennett, Coady, Kilman; Otto, Moutinho, Dendoncker (Traore, 58), Neves (Saiss, 58), Vinagre; Neto, Jota (Jimenez, 72)
Subs not used: Ruddy (gk), Doherty, Buur, Otasowie
Goal disallowed: Neto (45)
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Manchester)
