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Liverpool logo
Premier League | Gameweek 7
Mar 1, 2023 at 8pm UK
Anfield
Wolves logo

Liverpool
2 - 0
Wolves

van Dijk (73'), Salah (77')
Bajcetic (15'), Fabinho (53')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Semedo (36'), Sarabia (45+4'), Neves (66')

Preview: Liverpool vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Premier League clash between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Since this article was published, this match has been postponed due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Off the back of a chastening defeat to Napoli in the Champions League, Liverpool return to a disgruntled Anfield to face Wolverhampton Wanderers in Saturday's Premier League contest.

Jurgen Klopp's side were embarrassed 4-1 by the Partenopei in midweek, while the visitors needed just the one goal to see off Southampton last weekend.


Match preview

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp pictured on September 7, 2022© Reuters

Fans, pundits and journalists alike are all providing their own theories for Liverpool's alarming downward spiral - from a perceived lack of ownership support to failure to refresh the team - and those who made the journey to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Wednesday left with glum faces.

A pair of Piotr Zielinski goals, Andre Zambo Anguissa's finish and Giovanni Simeone's strike served Liverpool a slice of humble pie in Napoli, and muted cheers could barely be heard when Luis Diaz - one of the bright sparks of the evening - scored a second-half consolation.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Premier League lost one German manager in Thomas Tuchel after his sacking from Chelsea - which came after an opening Champions League loss - and while Klopp is not expected to suffer the same fate, the 55-year-old has a multitude of questions to answer.

Returning to home comforts in the Premier League should provide Liverpool with some sort of safety net, as the Reds - who sit seventh in the table after last weekend's 0-0 draw with Merseyside rivals Everton - have picked up both of their top-flight wins at Anfield this term.

Furthermore, the hosts' unbeaten run at Anfield now stands at a whopping 26 Premier League matches since defeat to Fulham in March 2021, and the home crowd will hope that facing a shot-shy Wolves side can spell the end of their dismal streak of conceding first.

Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Bruno Lage on August 28, 2022© Reuters

Fending off competition from revered European clubs to sign the 6ft 7in Sasa Kalajdzic should have signalled the start of an attacking renaissance for Wolves, but after only 45 minutes of Premier League football against Southampton, the Austrian's debut was cut short by a devastating ACL injury.

Bruno Lage's men still managed to find the breakthrough courtesy of a Daniel Podence finish right before the half-time whistle blew, but with the solution to their goalscoring woes now facing months of rehabilitation, morale is far from its highest point.

Six points from as many games has left Wolves down in 14th in the embryonic standings with only three goals to boast from 540 minutes of top-flight football so far this season - only West Ham United have also fared just as poorly on the attacking front.

While Wolves may boast the league's least clinical attack, Lage's side have not lost their defensive nous - letting in a league-low four goals so far this term - but they travel to Merseyside having failed to win any of their last seven away games in the top flight.

A sight for sore eyes for the Liverpool faithful will be their recent record against Wolves, as the Reds have won the past eight league meetings between the two sides since the visitors returned to the big time in 2018, including a 3-1 Anfield success last season.

Liverpool Premier League form:
  • D
  • D
  • L
  • W
  • W
  • D

Liverpool form (all competitions):
  • D
  • L
  • W
  • W
  • D
  • L

Wolverhampton Wanderers Premier League form:
  • L
  • D
  • L
  • D
  • D
  • W

Wolverhampton Wanderers form (all competitions):
  • D
  • L
  • W
  • D
  • D
  • W


Team News

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Sasa Kalajdzic after suffering an injury on September 3, 2022.© Reuters

Thiago Alcantara's return from injury was one of the minor positives that Liverpool could take home from Italy, but Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Curtis Jones, Ibrahima Konate, Jordan Henderson and Calvin Ramsay all remain sidelined.

Fabio Carvalho's dead leg prevented him from making the journey to Naples, and it remains to be seen how he will recover for the weekend alongside second-choice goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, and Liverpool fans can expect a significant reshuffle for Saturday's game.

Joe Gomez and James Milner in particular endured disastrous nights in the Champions League and should be replaced by Joel Matip and Thiago - or Arthur - respectively, while an off-colour Mohamed Salah is seemingly in need of a break and may cede his spot to ex-Wolves man Diogo Jota.

Wolves' infirmary is not as well-occupied as Liverpool's, but Kalajdzic is now beginning his long road to recovery alongside fellow ACL victim Chiquinho, while Raul Jimenez pulled up with a groin problem in the warm-up last weekend.

Jimenez could reportedly make himself available for Saturday's game, but Hwang Hee-chan is on standby to occupy the striker's spot, while it remains to be seen if new signing Boubacar Traore receives international clearance in time to face the Reds.

Portugal's Matheus Nunes will be stepping out onto the Anfield turf after Liverpool passed up on the chance to sign him from Sporting Lisbon, while Nathan Collins and Max Kilman renew their effective defensive partnership.

Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Elliott, Fabinho, Thiago; Jota, Nunez, Diaz

Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Sa; Jonny, Collins, Kilman, Ait-Nouri; Moutinho, Neves, Nunes; Neto, Hwang, Podence


SM words green background

We say: Liverpool 1-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Conceding the first goal has been a never-ending theme for Liverpool over the past few weeks, but Wolves just cannot catch a break on the attacking front and do not travel well.

Channelling their previous home form in the Premier League with a refreshed XI ought to do the trick for Liverpool, who may not produce a vintage performance, but we have faith in Klopp's side to temporarily quell some of the anger within the Anfield fanbase.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 2.5:data


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Written by
Ben Knapton

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Game History

How you voted: Liverpool vs Wolves

Liverpool
68.5%
Draw
13.0%
Wolverhampton Wanderers
18.5%
378
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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp pictured on September 7, 2022
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea16104237191834
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City168352823527
6Aston Villa167452425-125
7Bournemouth157352320324
8Fulham166642422224
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton166642625124
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1672736191723
11Brentford167273230223
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd166462119222
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Crystal Palace163761721-416
16Everton153661421-715
17Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
20Southampton1612131136-255


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