Liverpool 2-2 Wolves: Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah on target but Reds set for replay after Hwang Hee-Chan equaliser

Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez were on target but holders Liverpool will face a third round replay after substitute Hwang Hee-Chan secured a 2-2 draw for Wolves at Anfield.

The hosts handed a debut to new signing Cody Gakpo and he was lively early on with a low shot Matija Sarkic easily dealt with.

Wolves grew in belief as the half developed and took the lead in comical fashion when Alisson inexplicably passed the ball straight to Goncalo Guedes, who had the simple task of rolling the ball into the Kop end net on 26 minutes.

Liverpool toiled in response but levelled just prior to the interval when Nunez produced a brilliant first-time volley to finish off Trent Alexander Arnold’s sublime, diagonal pass.

The Reds then enjoyed a piece of fortune on 52 minutes when an error from Toti as he tried to defend Gakpo’s pass, allowed Salah – who had initially been in an offside position – the freedom of the area to take the ball down and calmly fire into the corner.

Wolves continued to threaten on the break and levelled on 66 minutes when substitutes Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-Chan combined for the latter to bundle the ball home.

The visitors thought they had won it nine minutes from time when Toti flicked home Hwang’s cross-shot but after a lengthy VAR check the goal was controversially ruled out.

Next up, Wolves travel to Nottingham Forest on Wednesday for their EFL Cup quarter final tie. Liverpool visit Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday.

Talking point

Wolves shine as Liverpool struggleto hit top form. It was another disjointed display from the Merseysiders that will once again leave Kopites with brows furrowed.

Gakpo showed signs of promise on his debut and had a hand in Salah’s goal but the overall collective performance was way off the high standards this team set last season.

Once more they fell behind and needed a moment of inspiration to drag them level. On another day they would have seen their defence of the cup end at the first hurdle as Wolves felt Toti’s goal late on should have stood. It’s hard to see what was actually wrong with it from the replays shown and Julen Lopetegui could not hide his fury at the time.

The Spanish coach has made a real impact since arriving at Wolves and will be confident his side can have a real go at finishing the job in a replay neither club will want.

Player of the match

Ruben Neves (Wolves). The visitors produced some excellent football on the counter attack and Neves was instrumental at the heart of the midfield.

Player Ratings

LIVERPOOL: Alisson 5, Alexander-Arnold 8, Matip 6, Konate 6, Robertson 7, Fabinho 6, Henderson 6, Thiago 6, Salah 7, Nunez 7, Gakpo 6. Subs: Keita 6, Elliott 6, Doak n/a, Gomez n/a, Oxlade-Chamberlain n/a.

WOLVES: Sarkic 7, Lembikisa 7, Collins 8, Toti 7, Jonny 7, Traore 7, Neves 8, Hodge 7, Ait-Nouri 7, Jimenez 7, Guedes 7. Subs: Matheus Nunes 7, Cunha 7, Hwang 7, Semedo 6, Bueno n/a.

Match Highlights

26’ – GOAL! – Liverpool 0-1 Wolves. It’s a howler from Alisson. He plays a pass straight to Guedes, who can’t believe his luck as he fires into an empty net in front of the Kop.

39’ – WOLVES CHANCE! Traore charges into space down the right and sizzles a low ball across the six-yard box towards the far post where Jimenez is a whisker away from sliding it home.

45’ – GOAL! – Liverpool 1-1 Wolves. Nunez arrives on cue to volley into the far corner from a sumptuous diagonal ball by Alexander-Arnold.

52’ – GOAL! – Liverpool 2-1 Wolves. Salah is left in acres of space to latch on to Toti’s dreadful backward header and coolly fire into the corner.

56’ – WOLVES CHANCE! Ait-Nouri sprints clear on to Neves’ pass but hammers his volley straight at Alisson. That was a huge chance for the visitors to level.

66’ – GOAL! – Liverpool 2-2 Wolves. Hwang somehow diverts the ball home after a lovely one-two with Cunha on the left side of the Liverpool area.

81’ – WOLVES CHANCE! Toti flicks the ball home from close range after Liverpool failed to deal with a left-wing corner. VAR checks and it’s disallowed for offside in the build up.

Key Stats

Liverpool have conceded the first goal of the game in 14 of their 27 matches this season.

Salah is now Liverpool’s outright seventh-highest goalscorer of all time with 173 goals. He overtakes Sir Kenny Dalglish.