Wolves 0 Liverpool 1 - Report

Coming into the game, the Merseyside club had scored four goals in each of their last three Premier League games and were in incredible form.

And although they did miss some huge opportunities, Wolves fought valiantly and looked set to earn an impressive point.

Mohamed Salah missed a first half sitter before former Wolves man Diogo Jota had a second half shot blocked on the line by Conor Coady, despite no goalkeeper being in place to stop him after a defensive mistake.

But deep into added time substitute Origi finished from close range to steal all three points, in what was a cruel ending for the hosts.

Bruno Lage made one change from the side that drew with Burnley in mid-week, lining up in a 3-4-3 formation.

Ruben Neves returned from suspension and came back into the side as Joao Moutinho dropped to the bench. The 35-year-old had started all 14 Premier League games this season leading up to the Liverpool fixture.

That meant Leander Dendoncker kept his place after a good display against Burnley and partnered Neves in midfield. Adama Traore also started on the right wing despite Daniel Podence returning to the squad and making the bench after recovering from Covid-19.

Fernando Marcal missed out due to his own positive Covid-19 test, while Willy Boly, Yerson Mosquera, Pedro Neto and Jonny Castro Otto remain sidelined with injury.

Jurgen Klopp named an unchanged side following their 4-1 win over Everton on Wednesday.

Former Wolves forward Jota, who was celebrating his 25th birthday, started alongside Sadio Mane and Salah in a front three. The latter started the game with 13 Premier League goals, one more than the whole of the Wolves squad.

The visitors did make one change on the bench however, as youngster Tyler Morton was replaced by Nathaniel Phillips.

After a slow start to the match there was a touching moment in the sixth minute when both sets of supporters clapped in tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes who passed away.

Although Liverpool were dominating possession, as expected, and looked dangerous as they broke forward, Wolves also had some promising early signs. Raul Jimenez and Traore got into some good positions as they tried to carve out an opening. Dendoncker was also arriving late in the box from midfield as another forward option.

A nice one-two pass between Nelson Semedo and Traore saw the latter racing down the right wing as he danced beyond a couple challenges. His eventual cross was cleared.

Hwang Hee-chan then had a chance to release Jimenez through on goal but after delaying his pass the striker strayed offside.

Following those early half-opportunities, Liverpool began to up the tempo. Full-backs Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold were starting to bomb forward and find spaces as they looked to release the attackers.

Dendoncker then cleared a Jota header from a corner that was heading towards goal, before Rayan Ait-Nouri did superbly well to dispossess the former Wolves man as he raced into the box.

Max Kilman was also impressing. First, he launched a perfect 50-yard cross-field pass out to Ait-Nouri, before shortly after sliding in with a composed tackle to stop Mane.

Alexander-Arnold should have done better when Thiago found him with a ball over Ait-Nouri and from 12 yards the full-back blazed his volley over the bar.

Liverpool were probing and looked the most likely top score after 30 minutes. Jota should have buried a header on his Molineux return after he met an Alexander-Arnold cross, but he diverted wide from close range. He beat Semedo too easily in the air for the chance.

For all of Liverpool’s chances, Traore almost created a moment of magic when he somehow escaped a four-on-one situation and crossed for Jimenez, but the visitors dealt with it.

Salah then should have scored when he had a sitter from two yards after Robertson found space on the left and crossed low, but the winger missed the ball and watch it fly through his legs. Romain Saiss was also putting him under pressure as he came sliding in.

A superb Wolves counter-attack almost proved fruitful when Ait-Nouri was released down the left and his low cross almost found Traore, but Alisson beat him to it.

The Wolves wing-back then danced beyond two Liverpool men and into the box, but shot well wide.

That small Wolves resurgence saw them enter half-time drawing 0-0 after holding firm defensively. Liverpool dominated most of the proceedings and looked dangerous, but Wolves held their own.

As the teams emerged for the second half Neves was caught out with a poor pass towards his own goal but the chance fizzled out for Liverpool, saving the midfielder’s blushes.

At the other end, Traore outmuscled Virgil van Dijk and raced into the box before setting up Hwang. He should have shot first time but delayed, taking several touches, before seeing the ball go out for a goal kick.

Liverpool then had another glorious chance to take the lead. A corner found Salah at the back post and his mis-hit shot found Thiago who had two efforts from five yards. The first was blocked by Jimenez before goalkeeper Jose Sa made a brilliant save with his feet to deny the follow-up.

The visitors were in the ascendency and forcing Wolves to defend deep. One moment of high pressing from Dendoncker on Fabinho resulted in the Brazilian passing out of play, giving the hosts a moment of respite.

Kilman then brilliantly intercepted a pass and drove beyond Jota to get his team-mates up the field, before Hwang almost reached a slack back pass from Thiago.

Just before the hour mark the most extraordinary passage of play should have resulted in a Liverpool goal. A huge mix-up between Sa and Saiss allowed Jota to run into the Wolves box with no goalkeeper defending the net. But Coady somehow pulled off a magnificent block with his leg to stop Jota’s effort on goal from 10 yards.

That incredible piece of defending got the home crowd on their feet creating a superb atmosphere and Wolves were aiming to reward them. Hwang and Saiss both strayed offside for two chances, as the openings began to present themselves. Jimenez also should have played Traore through on goal but made a hash of his pass.

Origi was introduced in the 68th minute for Jordan Henderson, as Liverpool made an attacking switch in order to find a winning goal.

Plenty of big tackles were flying in too. Traore was drawing fouls with a handful of Liverpool players picking up bookings. Thiago flew into a shocking tackle, too, but was fortunate that he did not make contact with Traore.

The visitors continued to push for a goal and a strong forward run from Robertson was only stopped when he reached the opposite flank and entered the box, as Ait-Nouri made an important clearance.

With just over 10 minutes of normal time to play Wolves brought on Moutinho and moved to a 3-5-2 formation, in order to regain some control in midfield and preserve the clean sheet.

Kilman then got a wonderful block in to stop a Origi poke towards goal. Sa then pulled off a big save to deny Mane from five yards, when the forward should have scored. The ball broke to him after a scramble in the box.

Salah then found space in the box to turn and unleash a left-footed strike, but Sa got down to meet it as the officials announced there would be five minutes of added time.

But deep into added time Origi received a pass from Salah, turned Coady in the box and finished low beyond Sa.

It was a cruel late twist in a game where Wolves deserved to win a point, but they ultimately left with nothing.

Wolves: Sa, Kilman, Coady, Saiss, Semedo, Dendoncker, Neves, Ait-Nouri (Hoever, 92), Hwang (Moutinho, 79), Jimenez, Traore (Trincao, 88).

Subs not used: Ruddy, Bueno, Cundle, Campbell, Podence, Silva.

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson (Origi, 68), Fabinho, Thiago, Salah (Milner, 94), Jota (Oxlade-Chamberlain, 82), Mane.

Subs not used: Kelleher, Williams, Tsimikas, Konate, Phillips, Minamino.