Yahoo Sports Jurgen Klopp looks deflated and short of answers to Liverpool's problems
Julen Loptegui's constant semaphoring of instruction during Wolves' 3-0 humiliation of Liverpool on Saturday made quite a contrast to the figure standing along the touchline.
Last season, Jurgen Klopp was the most animated manager in the division, turning the technical area into a performance art space. Never more so than on the rare - very rare - occasions his side were losing. Then he would rail and bark and snarl. In the press conference after defeat he would blame the referee, the pitch, the league authorities for enforcing an ever tightening schedule: anyone but his own.
The insistence his side was so good that only a conspiracy of outside forces could beat them was a shrewd psychological ploy, one borrowed from his predecessor Bill Shankly.
But not anymore. These days, as defeat follows defeat, Klopp just stands with his hands in his pockets, motionless, not even reacting when, after his colander defence conceded a third goal, the Molineux crowd chanted in his direction “you’re getting sacked in the morning.”
And in the post match press conference, an arena which was for so long his theatre, his chance to bite back, he cut a deflated, defeated figure. His gloom-filled answers were those of someone bereft of ideas, of explanation, of resolve. His response to a perfectly legitimate - and politely asked - question from James Pearce of the Athletic, was indicative of his mood.
“I find it very difficult to talk to you,” he said to the reporter. “You know why, for all the things you wrote. If someone else wants to ask that question I will answer it.”
Which was very odd, given that Pearce has been a Boswell to his Dr Johnson, there at every Liverpool game for the past five years, reporting with relish the triumphs of the Klopp era.
“I would prefer NOT to speak to you!” 😳
Jurgen Klopp REFUSES to speak to a reporter after @LFC's humiliation at Wolves 😬 pic.twitter.com/XoxpQdzovM— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) February 4, 2023
Maybe born of frustration, perhaps the result of misplaced annoyance at his team’s failings, it was nevertheless a very revealing response. Klopp, the man who was on top of the football world but nine months ago, reduced to flailing at the least appropriate target.
And while he insisted he still had the tools to sort things out, as he walked disconsolately from the room, the overwhelming sense was of a man not enjoying himself anymore.
You can understand why: for him, defeat is becoming a habit. Actually, more than just defeat. At 3pm on Saturday, when the match kicked off, Wolves were in the bottom three. Ninety minutes later, with the three points they had gained propelling their side up the Premier League table, the Molineux crowd were in full gloat.
“Ole” they chanted to greet each of their players’ passes, a sequence of delight that went on for minutes as the ball pinged around between those in old gold shirts without any disturbance from the visitors. It was a moment indicative of something far more significant than the accrual of three points: it was a reaction to the insistent evidence the tide had turned.
This is what Liverpool are doing on the road this season: not simply gifting victories (this was their third away defeat on the bounce, the club's worst league sequence since 2012, at the end of which season the manager Kenny Dalglish was sacked) they are delivering hope, optimism and faith.
As Brentford and Brighton before them have recently discovered, for Wolves beating the side that came within two matches of winning the lot last season provided a giant injection of belief.
“We’ve got Super Lopetegui,” was the chant belted out of the Sir Jack Hayward Stand in honour of their new manager Julen Lopetegui. “He knows exactly what we need.”
Indeed, against Liverpool, the Spaniard’s every move seemed to pay off. Not least in the manner in which the four players he signed in the January window all played superbly, one of them - Craig Dawson - gleefully marking his debut by smashing home the second goal.
Though it was Mario Lamina who really stood out; his magnificent defensive midfield performance must have made those who watched him flail around in Southampton colours a few years back wonder when exactly it was that he transmogrified into a Gabonese N’Golo Kante. Yet here he was thwarting Liverpool at every turn, his tackling ferocious, his passing laser-driven.
From the brink of the quadruple, to making everyone else, even the most unlikely, look good: it is some decline for the one-time greatest team in the world. No wonder the manager appears so forlorn.
Match report: Wolves showed that Liverpool are eminently beatable and the league knows it
By Sam Wallace at Molineux
The worst part about it for Jürgen Klopp was that his Liverpool team were never really in it, certainly not once Joel Matip had scored an early own goal that even then, in the sixth minute, felt in keeping with the way the game was going.
This is the Liverpool of 2023 – reactive to events, and ever less able to handle the setbacks, of which there have been plenty. Since their brief rally after Christmas, Klopp’s team have lost away at Brentford, Brighton and now Wolverhampton Wanderers. Just a single point from their last four games – at home to a Chelsea side even less certain of their identity than Klopp’s team. The old intensity has disappeared and in its absence Liverpool are eminently beatable.
It has been an epic fall for a team that were the runners-up in the Premier League and the Champions League last season, as well as FA Cup and League Cup holders. A squad that for periods of last season felt like they could win it all. Now they would take a win against anyone. Their leader Klopp, who trades on his confidence and its place in the personality of his team, finds himself trying to provoke a reaction.
“The start of the game was horrible, absolutely horrible, the opposite of what we want,” Klopp said of the passive approach that let Wolves go two up in the first 12 minutes. Yet much of it embodied the way Liverpool have played in their worst moments this season. A second-choice defence playing at a second-rate standard. The absence of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahim Konaté, victims of the great Liverpool injury epidemic, was the obvious explanation but in the past Klopp teams have carried replacements along with them. Now they just seem inhibited.
“[The] first 12 minutes is absolutely never helpful but especially now in our situation it is absolutely not allowed to happen,” Klopp said. “Not for being passive and not for doing what we did in these moments.” That was the defence, yet the problems spread to the midfield, undermanned again without Fabinho who was ill and once again reliant on the teenager Stefan Bajcetic. Without them in control then the problems spread to the defence.
The Liverpool manager would later argue that once the initial catastrophe had passed, and Wolves were ahead with that own goal from Matip and then a second from Craig Dawson on his debut, it had improved. Yet this was still a long way from what Liverpool were supposed to look like. If Klopp had hoped that there was a rescue imminent from Mohammad Salah or Trent Alexander-Arnold then it never came. Salah above all seemed unable to recapture the form of the previous five years. This was his fifth straight game without a goal.
There were chances but they fell for Darwin Núñez who just could not pick a shot past Jose Sa. Cody Gakpo has not had the impact of Luis Díaz this time last year. Just as Liverpool’s hope started to fade so they were ended by the third from Ruben Neves, a fine goal after a quick turnover in possession from the substitute Joao Moutinho.
Just Wolves’ fifth win of the season and the third under Julen Lopetegui, this was built on the new January signings of which four started the game. Dawson, Pablo Sarabia, Mario Lemina and Matheus Cunha all had an impact. Lemina, might just have edged it for the sheer energy of his performance, but Dawson managed the game expertly despite having to take a first-half booking to stop Núñez. A hamstring injury to Hwang Hee-chan, instrumental in the sequence that led to Matip’s own goal, means that the Korean is likely to be missing for some time.
Liverpool ended the game in 10th and 10 points off Newcastle in fourth. Their Champions League place for next season is surely over unless they can win it in the next few months. But it goes deeper than that. The injuries have overcome them. The energy is missing and so too the belief and whenever the likes of Diogo Jota, Díaz, Roberto Firmino, Van Dijk and Konaté do come back, it might already be too late.
The first goal came from a deflection off Matip when he gave Hwang too much time to cross. Six minutes later Liverpool failed to clear a set piece when Joe Gomez’s touch on the ball took it away from Alisson. Max Kilman’s first shot was blocked but not Dawson’s finish. Liverpool created chances and Núñez might have scored immediately after the second Wolves goal.
The third goal was Wolves’ best, with Moutinho winning two challenges against Gomez and Bajcetic before hitting a pass right to another substitute, Adama Traore. His cut back was taken first time by Neves – once to control and another to finish.
How, Klopp was asked, might he mend the confidence of his players? “I know my job, you know my job, it’s not to explain here how I can build up my team,” he said. “I will be judged by you, which is fine. But today – what I did – was not good enough”.
Was he confident he could do it? “Yeah,” Klopp replied, pausing for a sip of water. “Absolutely.”
Wolves 3 Liverpool 0: as it happened
05:05 PM
As they stand
04:57 PM
Jim White reports from Molineux
What a magnificent way to climb out of the relegation zone. Wolves were superb here, completely outplaying Liverpool, the faded entity that were within two games of winning the lot last season. The home side were simply better at everything than their visitors: attacking, defending and particularly the bit in between. Mario Lemina excelled in midfield, bossing everything. As the locals enjoyed themselves shouting olé to every touch, Wolves demonstrated they were a team. Whereas Liverpool these days resemble a collective sulk.
04:56 PM
Full time: Wolves 3 Liverpool 0
Wolves end with the olés ringing round Molineux as they stop Liverpool having a kick for a minute. Wolves were magnificent in their organisation and defensive solidity. Lemina or Neves, both pivots, could share the man of the match award. And they were clinical. If Darwin Nunez was as clinical as Craig Dawson they might have some player. Liverpool were poor at the back, OKish in chance creation and terrible at finishing. Big problems to fix. The only way is up for Wolves by contrast.
04:53 PM
90+2 min: Wolves 3 Liverpool 0
It's the derby next week for Liverpool. Can they pick themselves up to match Everton who will be buoyant after today's victory?
04:51 PM
90 min: Wolves 3 Liverpool 0
Oxlade-Chamberlain floods forward as the Wolves defence retreats and lets fly from 25 yards. Kilman stoops to block it and divert it behind for a corner.
There'll be four more minutes of torture for Liverpool.
04:49 PM
89 min: Wolves 3 Liverpool 0
Jimenez makes a moose of himself and his finish after Adama Traore raced 70 yards, drew Alisson and tapped it to Jimenez who tried to dink it over Alisson but stubbed it straight at the keeper.
04:48 PM
87 min: Wolves 3 Liverpool 0
Liverpool have been flaky at the back all game but the substitutions have robbed the attack of the fluency it had at the start of the half.
04:46 PM
85 min: Wolves 3 Liverpool 0
Triple Liverpool substitution: Gakpo, Thiago and Robertson are replaced by Oxlade-Chamberlain, Milner and Tsimikas. Has there been a more chastening defeat for Klopp this season?
04:45 PM
83 min: Wolves 3 Liverpool 0
Thiago, Elliott and Alexander-Arnold ping some passes around to make headway up the right but they can't break through Wolves' banks of four and five.
04:43 PM
80 min: Wolves 3 Liverpool 0
Lemina, who has been immense, goes down twice in the space of a couple of minutes. After a second bout of treatment, he is substituted by Daniel Podence who has dyed his hair lilac like Phyllis Pearce off Coronation Street.
Jonny also replaces Ait Nouri.
04:37 PM
76 min: Wolves 3 Liverpool 0
Liverpool substitute: Elliott replaces Bajcetic.
04:36 PM
75 min: Wolves 3 Liverpool 0
Gomez is booked for a foul on Jimenez, taking man and ball together in a collision he could have pulled out of before sending the Mexico No9 flying.
04:35 PM
73 min: Wolves 3 Liverpool 0
A drubbing has been in the post for a few weeks now for Liverpool who look short of confidence, class and options right now. But not without battling spirit.
Lemina defends Robertson's cross. He has smothered Liverpool today.
04:31 PM
GOAL!
Wolves 3-0 Liverpool (Neves) Filleted on the break. Moutinho robs Gomez and then picks out Traore who bullocks forward, picks up his head and picks out Neves' support run. Traore is often criticised for his decision-making but this was so judicious. Nunes takes a touch to get the ball out from his feet then sweeps his finish past Alisson. No way back from here.
Sam Wallace writes
Joao Moutinho shows just how poor the Liverpool midfield have been by comparison. The substitute won two challenges against Joe Gomez and then Stefan Bajcetic before picking out Adama Traore. Glorious finish from Ruben Neves. The Wolves fans are singing 'Sacked in the morning' to Jurgen Klopp. Strange to see Liverpool so powerless against a team that had only won four league games this season before today.
04:31 PM
70 min: Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Liverpool corner which A-A takes quickly. Wolves are alert and defend it at the near post.
04:30 PM
68 min: Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Liverpool free-kick 30 yards out. Alexander-Arnold plants it into the wall and he then drags the rebound wide with his second effort.
04:27 PM
66 min: Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Nunez has got to score when latching on to Alexander-Arnold's 70-yard peach of a pass. He takes the ball in his stride then fires his shot straight at Jose Sa.
04:25 PM
64 min: Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Not sure what Liverpool can add from the bench, Carvalho apart. The days of Origi are long gone. Keita is the first to make way ... for Jordan Henderson.
04:24 PM
62 min: Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Close! Gakpo gets Dawson back-pedalling before slotting a pass to Salah to the right of the D. His eyes light up, he opens his body and goes for the left-foot server into the bottom left corner but sends it too far wide initially and doesn't have the bend to creep back in at the post.
04:20 PM
60 min: Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Double Wolves substitution: Moutinho and Jimenez replace Sarabia and Cunha.
04:19 PM
59 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Liverpool corner. Wolves have not been able to get out of their half throughout the second period but their defending has been stout so far and is again to repel the corner.
04:18 PM
57 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Liverpool keep knocking at the door, working the ball into the box, creating half and quarter chances but nothing as yet clear cut. Gakpo leads Semedo a bit of a dance then squares it to Gakpo to the left of the 18-yard line. He tries a right-foot curler which is blocked as is Robertson's effort with the rebound.
04:16 PM
55 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Salah has a shot but snatches at it and can't get it in target. Liverpool are getting him into the game more but he is not himself.
04:14 PM
53 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Bajcetic's tenacity wins him the ball and he then slides Salah in btween Kilman and Ait Nouri but when he gets to the byline his right-foot cross is easily blocked.
04:13 PM
51 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Keita's shot deflected on by Robertson is stopped a yard ahead of the line and Liverpool are asking for a Var check, claiming Kilman stopped it with his arm, which eh did but it was by his side.
They got the shot on goal in the end thanks to Robertson but Keita's shot was awful. He was 15 yards out, picked out by Nunez after a slick move between him and Gakpo and he shanked it into Robertson.
04:09 PM
48 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Gomez's passing hasn't been good enough today but now he keeps it simple by spraying it out to Robertson. Gakpo makes a clever run, inside-out, to get to the byline and take the pass but his cross is blocked out for a corner which Wolves defend solidly.
04:07 PM
46 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Liverpool resume quickly and bomb down the right, sending Nunez deep to the byline. He tries to forced a cross into the congested box but Lemina is there, as he has been all game, to block.
04:02 PM
Jim White's view from Molineux
If you want to know how and why Wolves are two up at half time, the evidence was there in one piece of action. Liverpool’s Naby Keita had two shots in quick succession from the edge of the area. The first was smothered by Matheus Nunes, the second, to a roar of delight from the Sir Jack Hayward stand, by a sliding Ruben Neves. That was not an exception. Wolves were sharper, quicker, more determined than Liverpool in everything they did. And at their heart has been Mario Lemina. Southampton fans must wonder where this version of the player was when he played in red and white stripes. But here he has been everywhere, delivering the kind of defensive midfield masterclass that Jürgen Klopp must have watched in envy.
03:52 PM
Sam Wallace's half-time verdict
Liverpool have steadied a bit but the memory of those first 15 minutes seems to be haunting them still. The difference Wolves' new January signings have made is obvious: Craig Dawson, Pablo Sarabia, Matheus Cunha and Mario Lemina all playing. Dawson has scored. Lemina is running himself into the ground in midfield. Liverpool, by contrast, are flat. So much of their game is built on them getting on top and dictating. They are so far off that now
03:51 PM
Half-time: Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
I suspect Jurgen Klopp has a rocket he's going to fire in Liverpool's ears and a boot poised to be applied to their jacksies at half-time. They have been so narrow, so tentative.
Dawson was yellow carded on the threshold of half-time but that apart he has had a fine old debut half.
03:48 PM
45+3 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Bajcetic is penalised for a foul on Sarabia that seems to have hurt the Liverpool midfielder more than the Wolves man.
03:47 PM
45+1 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
The first of four minutes of stoppage time begin with Nunez blazing over from 20 yards.
03:46 PM
44 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Both Wolves lads respond to treatment and come back on. Jose Sa gives Liverpool a sniff with a shanked kick but heclears up his won mess by coming out to claim the cross.
03:45 PM
43 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Blimey. It's like the end of Platoon out there with Lemina and Neves both down and writhing, both hurt by Thiago. Nunes had his ankle clipped and Lemina was winded by Thiago's arm hitting him in the solar plexus as he tried to wriggle past.
03:43 PM
41 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Wolves sub: Traore replaces the lame Hwang who is given a standing ovation as he limps to the tunnel.
03:41 PM
40 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Hwang slaps the grass in exasperation. Adama Traore is getting stripped.
03:41 PM
38 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Gakpo beats Hwang with a dummy and some fancy footwork, twisting his blood. So Hawng has a swipe at his ankles as he made his getaway. Hwang seems to have twanged his hamstring which becomes apparent when he gives chase to Nunes' pass from Liverpool's wasted free-kick.
03:38 PM
36 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Robertson does what he does best, taking the ball off Thiago and motoring forward until Neves shoves him over. Liverpool free-kick, 35 yards out, on the left.
Robertson whips a menacing cross to the near post but no one made that run across the face of the defence and Dawson headed it clear.
03:35 PM
34 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Wolves are playing a very compact 4-4-2 out of possession and Liverpool can't pass through it. The most dangerous moment for the home side came when Matip dribbled through the press. That ought to be the key for them in the second half, or going over the top with diagonals out to the wings.
03:32 PM
32 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Difficult to mention everyone who's playing well for Wolves but Sarabia deserves special praise for his movement and passing. Robertson can't get comfortable and can't help Gakpo as much as he'd like. Both goals have started on that side.
03:30 PM
30 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Dawson heads over from Neves' cross but no matter, he was a yard offside when the ball came in.
03:29 PM
28 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Alexander-Arnold joins the attack, works a pass to Salah and gets it back before blazing a right-foot angled shot over the bar.
03:28 PM
26 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Matip dawdles when chasing a ball back towards goal, allows Nunes to nip ahead after a poor touch and go one-on-one with the advancing Alisson who makes the save from the side-foot shot. He is his club's saving grace at the moment.
03:27 PM
24 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Keita screws a volley past the right post. Sat up nicely but he sliced it a bit. Now Nunez gallops down the left and then cuts infield to horse up his cross, blasting it behind. He is serenaded with 'You're just a s--- Andy Carroll' by the home fans.
03:24 PM
22 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Klopp is smiling in either bemusement or sarcasm. It's hard to tell which.
03:23 PM
Sam Wallace reports from Molineux
Two goals down in 12 minutes, it has been dismal for Liverpool. Defensively they are really vulnerable but again it is the midfield where they cannot get control of the game
03:22 PM
20 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Matip makes 40 yards to the edge of the box on a rangey dribble. He knocks it in to Keita by the penalty spot, back to goal, and he holds off Kilman to lay it back to Salah who goes for a left-foot curler towards the top left corner but balloons it.
03:20 PM
18 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Sarabia is winded when a shot from Keita rebounds into him off Neves. Liverpool are starting to have a bit more penetration down the left through Gakpo and Robertson.
03:17 PM
15 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Good run from Nunez down the inside-left and Thiago places an excellent pass in his stride. The striker opens his body, telegraphing a right-foot shot towards the top corner but Sa reads it, dives and claws it away.
03:14 PM
13 min Wolves 2 Liverpool 0
Jurgen Klopp is going bananas. And no wonder.
03:12 PM
GOAL!
Wolves 2 Liverpool 0 (Dawson) Dream debut. Nevers whips in a free-kick from the right. Liverpool go to sleep and let Cunha trap it and run to the byline to stand up a cross for Kilman. His header is blocked but the rebound falls to Dawson who lashes a blistering half-volley in from eight yards.
03:11 PM
9 min Wolves 1 Liverpool 0
Lemina looks a canny signing. He sits deep and lets Neves work higher up the pitch.
03:10 PM
7 min Wolves 1 Liverpool 0
Wolves fans have plenty to celebrate by why taunt Liverpool over high levels of unemployment in the 1980s when the Black Country was just as impoverished is beyond me.
Liverpool are all over the shop in midfield. But you knew that.
03:07 PM
GOAL!
Wolves 1-0 Liverpool (Matip og) Hwang was put in down the right of the area by a simple chip over the top. Hawng took it to the byline, skittered infield and tried to lace a cross through to Cunha but it hit Matip and bobbled in off the far post. Alexander-Arnold tried to scramble it away but it had crossed the line by the time he got there.
03:06 PM
5 min Wolves 0 Liverpool 0
Mistake from Keita, allowing Nunes to nip in front of him at a throw-in. He knocks Alexander-Arnold's throw away and in to Hwang in the inside-left and he shapes to shoot then slips a pass down the left of the box for Cunha who screws a shot wide. Should have taken it on with his left not his right.
03:04 PM
3 min Wolves 0 Liverpool 0
Ait Nouri picks up a long pass but puts it out for a throw. Lopetegui is wearing the green and white armband to promote Green Football Weekend. In fact everyone is on the bench and the players.
Dawson wins the ball, feeds it to Cunha who warms Alisson's hands with a thunderous, dipping, but straightish shot from 20 yards.
03:02 PM
1 min Wolves 0 Liverpool 0
Liverpool kick off, overloading the left wing. Keita knocks it back to Gomez who looks for the three man charge down the left but pumps it up the middle and Neves heads it clear. Gakpo is on the left and Nunez in the middle.
02:58 PM
The teams are coming out
Wolves in old gold and black, Liverpool in all red.
02:56 PM
Jim White on a pre-match parade
Joao Gomez – not to be confused with Joe Gomez, clearly, who is playing for Liverpool – has just been introduced to the Molineux crowd to warm applause. The Brazilian wonderkid – as we are obliged to call him – was signed from Flamengo, but not in time for this game
Hopefully he was brandishing a scarf.
02:52 PM
Jim White reports from Molineux
It might be Wolves third meeting with Liverpool in 28 days, but it's Craig Dawson's first. He is making his Wolves debut today, after his move from West Ham. Here's hoping he could hear the instructions in the warm up, given the ear bleed volume of the Wolves DJ's pre-match power play.
I've always preferred Liquidator to Hi Ho Silver Lining. Even the late Jeff Beck did.
02:45 PM
The players are out for the warm-up
Let's GO 💪#WOLLIV pic.twitter.com/96wuhetmmS
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 4, 2023
02:37 PM
Interesting that Fabinho doesn't even make the Liverpool bench
An awful lot of moaning on Twitter about Keita's inclusion after his poor performance in the FA Cup but he does have the direct style that Thiago, Henderson and Fabinho lack.
02:29 PM
Everton have beaten Arsenal
Which means Wolves begin the game in 18th. Touch of 'Dogs of War' about their performance with the caveat that Onana, Gueye and Doucoure are even more athletic than Messrs Ebbrell, Horne and Parkinson.
02:24 PM
Lopetegui on why he signed Craig Dawson
We hope he’s going to be important for us. He’s an experienced player and an English player – for me, it’s important to put English culture inside the dressing room, an experienced player and I think he has the quality. He can be a leader and we need this kind of player sometimes on the pitch and sometimes in the dressing room.
All together, we have to be involved to achieve our aims. Craig wants to be here, we’re happy with him and we are going to build history with him.
02:08 PM
Spoiler alert: Everton are beating Arsenal
Which means, if they can hold out for the final 12 minutes, Wolves will be in the bottom three at kick-off.
02:05 PM
Your teams in black and white
Wolverhampton Wanderers Jose Sa; Nelson Semedo, Dawson, Kilman, Ait Nouri; Lemina, Neves, Matheus Luiz; Sarabia, Matheus Cunha, Hwang.
Substitutes Bentley, Collins, Jimenez, Daniel Podence, Jonny, Joao Moutinho, Adama Traore, Hodge, Bueno.
Liverpool Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Gomez, Robertson; Keita, Bajcetic, Thiago; Salah, Nunez, Gakpo.
Substitutes Kelleher Milner, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Elliott, Tsimikas, Carvalho, Phillips, Kelleher.
Referee Paul Tierney (Wigan)
02:02 PM
Team news
Sarabia and Dawson start for Wolves. Bajcetic, Thiago and Keita form Liverpool's midfield. We'll have the full teams for you imminently.
01:31 PM
Preview
Welcome to live coverage of the third meeting in 29 days between Wolverhampton Wanderers, who started the day in 17th, and Liverpool, who began it in 10th. Liverpool were desperately lucky, or Wolves desperately unlucky, to emerge from their two FA Cup encounters victorious but they rock up at Molineux this afternoon unbeaten there in the league since 1981 and Jurgen Klopp having won every league game his side have played there.
After their rotten performance at Brighton in the Cup on the back of two defeats and a draw in the league, Klopp will be looking for a spark to suggest that they can replicate their 2020-21 spring revival. He pointed out yesterday that it was time to step up and banish all thoughts of feeling sorry for themselves over their injuries and loss of form.
"Self-pity is not allowed in these moments," he said. "We are human beings and know these moments when you think 'Oh my God, everything is going against me.' There's only one person who can change that really and it's yourself. These kind of things can happen and will happen in the future as well, but it's about limiting the time to get back on track."
While Klopp was at a loss to properly explain why the likes of Fabinho and captain Jordan Henderson, both dropped to the bench for recent matches as a new-look midfield was tried with some success, and to a lesser extent Mohamed Salah, have struggled for form, he knows the situation can be turned around.
And he pointed to the recent resurgence of Manchester United's Marcus Rashford this season after more than 18 months in the wilderness as an example.
"We all see that some players didn't exactly reach the level they reached for us consistently over four or five or six years. That's not unusual, it happens to other players as well," added Klopp ahead of the trip to face Wolves for the third time in 29 days.
"One of the best examples ever probably will be Marcus Rashford. The season he had last year and the season he has this year, I'm not sure he can really explain it.
"Erik ten Hag coming in, new boys, a different approach, of course, but it's not as though Marcus didn't want to deliver last year. Now he is flying. That's how it goes. The times in between these two extremes we have to use and go through it and fight through it."
They will have to fight through it here without Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Roberto Firmino as well as their longer-term absentees Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Arthur.
As for Wolves, who have had two wins, two defeats and a draw in the league under Julen Lopetegui, their transfer window recruitment gives them confidence that they can claw their way to safety. Joao Gomes, Craig Dawson, Dan Bentley, Mario Lemina, Pablo Sarabia and Matheus Cunha all arrived in January and the manager says they are now equipped to stay up.
"When I arrived we had 23 finals and it's still the same. We have a lot of finals and we have to think step by step, match to match," said Lopetegui. I don't know another way to work to achieve your aims. It's going to be a long race until the end. We have to be ready to arrive. That's why we need to have a strong mentality.
"The club has made good work, tried to help the team and balance the team. The most important thing is not the window, it's about trying to improve, believe in ourselves and to be ready to achieve our aims. The new signings are here to help but it's not only about them.
"It's about the rest of the players, they are working very hard to improve every day. We have to write the next history on Saturday. We have to be ready to compete against a very good team and fantastic players and to be able to overcome this type of team."
Pedro Neto is not quite ready to return while Sasa Kalajdzic is out for the season, Chiquinho faces at least a couple more months of rehab and Boubacar Traore could be back in March.
