Liverpool 2 – 1 Wolves

Florian Wirtz scored his first Premier League goal as Liverpool held on to beat Wolves 2-1 at a nervous Anfield.

Just moments after Ryan Gravenberch’s breakthrough strike late in the first half, Wirtz raced through after being put in by Hugo Ekitike to poke the ball beyond Jose Sa and double Liverpool’s advantage. There appeared to be no way back for Wolves from that.

But Santi Bueno forced the ball home early in the second half after Tolu Arokodare’s shot had been parried by Alisson Becker and Anfield was nervous thereafter with Wolves pushing for an unlikely equaliser. Arokodare had two further opportunities.

It was unconvincing by Arne Slot’s side against the Premier League’s bottom club, despite Ekitike and Alexis Mac Allister both striking the frame of the goal in the first half. They struggled to build the same momentum after the interval and were hanging on.

For all their battling qualities, Wolves remain winless after 18 Premier League games and are yet to pick up a point in seven under Edwards. Liverpool, on the other hand, are now unbeaten in six and found themselves inside the top four upon the final whistle.

Wirtz ‘getting better and better’

Liverpool boss Arne Slot speaking to Sky Sports:

“The team has seen how much he’s done for us already, creating chances, so close to a goal. For him to score his first goal is nice but it’s only a start. With his quality, he knows best, he will go on to score many more goals for us. But again, the focus is on the result.

“Florian did more than only score a goal today, he was involved in many moments where we created chances.”

Speaking later in the press conference, Slot added: “He has had multiple good games for us but I also think he is getting better and better. I also liked his performance. I thought he was special in a lot of moments.”

Big moment for Wirtz

Few could have imagined that Wirtz would have to wait so long for his first goal in a Liverpool shirt but it finally came at the 23rd time of asking. There have been moments when some thought it had come, such as the deflected equaliser against Sunderland.

This was the sort of goal Wirtz had been expected to deliver, a product of his off-the-ball movement and technical ability. The partnership with Ekitike is certainly promising. Indeed, the forward was returning a favour from earlier in the game with his pass.

Liverpool supporters have seen enough to know that the Germany international has the quality to play and thrive at this football club, but the onus is still on Wirtz to show it. Anfield demands end product to go with the flicks and tricks, the sways and the skills.

A goal at home to the bottom club in the Premier League with his team already ahead is hardly seismic in its significance but if it proves the launch pad for more, a weight lifted from the shoulders, then this could yet prove a pivotal point in Wirtz’s Liverpool career.

Edwards fed up with defeats

Wolves boss Rob Edwards speaking in the press conference:

“It is another loss so it is difficult. I said to the lads, I am getting really fed up of this and I know they are hurting as well. But I will watch the game back, take some of the emotion out of it and feel some of the good stuff as well. The second half, there was a team that was brave and showed quality against a top team.

“We started the first 10 to 15 [minutes] not too bad but then Liverpool began to force us back and got a lot of numbers high, it was hard for us to get out. We adjusted Mateus Mane’s position – I thought he was brilliant the whole game – and we found Mane a lot between the lines. We said if we get the next goal it is game on and it was.”

Story of the match in stats…

What’s coming up in the Premier League?