The reigning English champions finished the first half strong. Ryan Gravenberch scored from inside the penalty area with a first-time shot into the post, and immediately after, Hugo Ekitike set up Florian Wirtz for a one-on-one, who then netted his first goal in England's top flight.
“It was a great feeling, being on the pitch with the fans in the stands, I was very happy. I was sure I would score that goal eventually. Of course, I wanted to start scoring and assisting sooner, but that’s how it is. I had to accept it, but I knew it would come,” Wirtz, who recorded his first Premier League assist last week, told Liverpool’s club website.
The summer signing from Leverkusen, for whom the English champions paid £116 million, needed 23 appearances in a Liverpool shirt to score his first goal.
“I think it was a huge relief for him. You could see it in his reaction after scoring the goal, and also in his teammates, they were genuinely thrilled for him. In football, perhaps justifiably, we mainly evaluate results and judge individuals primarily by goals and assists, sometimes forgetting everything else a player does during a match. I think he’s played several good games, but I also feel he’s improving with every match.”
I think he’s played several good games, but I also feel he’s improving with every match. He’s getting physically fitter, he was closer and closer to his first goal, and it’s no surprise that he scored.
He’s getting physically fitter, he was closer and closer to his first goal, and it’s no surprise that he scored. He’ll be the first to understand that one goal isn’t enough, so I hope he scores many more, but I also liked his performance for much of the game; he was exceptional in many moments,” DPA quoted Slot’s praise for the 22-year-old German attacking midfielder.
Wirtz opened his scoring account during an emotional match. Liverpool and Wolverhampton met at Anfield for the first time since the death of Diogo Jota, who had previously played for both clubs. The Portuguese international Jota died in a car accident in July along with his brother Andre Silva.
His two sons, along with two other young family members, were part of the pre-match ceremony, led onto the pitch by home captain Virgil van Dijk and Portuguese visiting goalkeeper Jose Sa, with Jota's wife Rute watching from the stands. Fans sang a chant about Jota and honored him again in the 20th minute, as he wore the number 20 shirt.
“It was tough, but in a way, it was also special and beautiful. The football world showed how it should behave in such moments. Our fans, from the moment the tragedy happened until today, have been incredible. In every single moment, they did exactly what you would wish for in his memory. The visiting fans also showed it.”
It’s not just about our supporters. You know how special English fans are, and on Saturday, we showed that to the world,” reacted Liverpool’s Dutch manager.
The “Wolves” found a glimmer of hope shortly after halftime when Santiago Bueno scored from a rebound following a corner. However, they couldn't equalize and remain at the bottom of the table with just two points. The defeat by the River Mersey was their eleventh consecutive loss in the Premier League.
“It’s another loss, and it’s getting tough now. I told the lads I’m getting fed up with it. I know they’re suffering too, but I’ll watch the game back, take some emotion from it, and try to find the positives. In the second half, we saw a team that was brave and showed quality against a top opponent,” said manager Rob Edwards, who stepped off a promising Championship train from Middlesbrough to try and lead the “Wolves” to a sensational survival in the English elite.