The final 20 minutes of this delayed Premier League fixture certainly made up for the lacklustre performances from both Wolverhampton and Liverpool up to that point. In the end, the reigning champions, who had been on a four-game winning streak, were defeated by the league's bottom side, who had only secured two victories all season (though they had beaten Aston Villa in their last outing).
Liverpool showed early intent with a Mac Allister shot in the 7th minute, comfortably saved by José Sá. This would be the only shot on target in a first half largely remembered for the tribute to Diogo Jota in the 18th minute, a nod to the shirt number the unfortunate player wore during his time at Wolverhampton.
It was a game played at a low level by both teams, with neither side truly asserting themselves. That was until the second half, when Cody Gakpo decided to make an impact… but in the worst possible way. From a corner kick flicked on at the near post by Ekitiké, Curtis Jones was poised to tap it in with his chest at the far post, but Cody Gakpo got to the ball first with his foot and deflected it… onto the crossbar! The Dutchman truly snatched a goal from his teammate's grasp.
Rodrigo Gomes Takes Flight
Wolverhampton managed the feat of reaching the 78th minute without registering a single shot. But their first attempt counted immediately and had a Portuguese flair! Tolu Arokodare won his duel with Van Dijk and released Rodrigo Gomes, who outran Konaté and chipped the ball over Alisson for Wolverhampton's first shot of the entire game! It was the fifth goal of the season for the former SC Braga and Estoril player.
Wolves were eager to secure their second consecutive Premier League victory for the first time this season, and José Sá offered hope with a fantastic save in the 80th minute, subtly deflecting a well-placed shot from Rio Ngumoha. However, Salah grew tired of waiting and finally ended his 10-game goal drought: in the 83rd minute, he struck powerfully at the near post, catching José Sá by surprise and levelling the match.
With the game completely open, victory could have gone either way, and José Sá prevented it from falling to Liverpool: a good save (90+2’) from a Van Dijk header.
Composure had completely evaporated, and Liverpool proved to be the emotionally less mature team in the decisive moment. Curtis Jones, on defensive duties, won a ball near the byline but was hasty, passing it to Alisson, who had to clear it quickly and gifted it to André. The midfielder, under no pressure, shot, and with a deflection off Joe Gomez, beat Alisson in the 90+4th minute!
Wolverhampton now reaches 16 points, while Liverpool loses ground in the crucial race for Champions League qualification spots. And credit must be given to Wolves: despite being practically relegated, they continue to approach every game with motivation and have now consecutively defeated Aston Villa and Liverpool.