Wolves 3-0 Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp’s Reds slump to comprehensive defeat at Molineux

Wolves stunned Liverpool 3-0 at Molineux to move out of the Premier League relegation zone.

It was a dream start for the hosts as Liverpool defender Joel Matip turned Hwang Hee-Chan’s fifth-minute cross into his own net.

Seven minutes later, debutant Craig Dawson hammered home Wolves’ second, finding space in the box after Liverpool failed to clear a free kick.

Liverpool were a shell of themselves in the first half, but improved in the second.

Naby Keita had time and space in the box to get the Reds back into the game, but his shot somehow was blocked on the line by Max Kilman. The visitors continued their siege of the Wolves goal, but couldn’t find the breakthrough.

Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui changed his approach with the introduction of Raul Jimenez and Joao Moutinho at the expense of Pablo Sarabia and Matheus Cunha.

Liverpool continued to dominate but were hit by a sucker-punch in the 71st minute. Moutinho stole possession deep in his own half and played an immediate pass to Adama Traore who was racing into a gap in the Reds’ backline. Traore drove into the Liverpool box and passed to the late-arriving Ruben Neves. The Wolves captain beat one defender before rolling the ball past Alisson for a 3-0 lead.

Defeat leaves Liverpool still searching for their first league win of 2023, with a derby against resurgent Everton next up.

Talking point – Can Klopp go on?

While Liverpool have been struggling for form all season, this was a new low. The Reds looked nothing like the team that has lit up the Premier League for the last four seasons against Wolves. Their energy levels were non-existent, their front line looked toothless, and their defence sat back on their heels, seemingly scared to make tackles.

It is surely impossible to imagine that Klopp has lost the dressing room, given all he has achieved, but this was a shockingly poor performance.

Liverpool have still not won a league match this year, and face a suddenly daunting derby in their next fixture.

Player of the Match – Ruben Neves

The all-action Portuguese midfielder was sensational against Liverpool. In the opening period, with his team dominating the ball, Neves was linking play brilliantly. He provided a constant outlet and played incisive, aggressive passes.

When Liverpool had a long spell of dominance in the second half, Neves was seemingly the only Wolves player capable of picking off opposition passes.

Finally, when Liverpool began to flag, Neves was the one to seal victory with a lung-busting, length-of-the-field run to put away Traore’s pass for 3-0.

Player ratings

Wolves: Sa 7, Semedo 7, Dawson 7, Kilman 6, Ait-Nouri 7, Neves 9, Nunes 7, Lemina 9, Sarabia 6, Cunha 6, Hwang 7. Subs: Jonny N/A, Moutinho 8, Adama 8, Podence N/A, Jimenez 6

Liverpool: Alisson 6, Alexander-Arnold 5, Matip 3, Gomez 4, Robertson 6, Bajcetic 7, Keita 5, Thiago 7, Salah 6, Nunez 6, Gakpo 6. Subs: Milner N/A, Henderson 6, Oxlade-Chamberlain N/A, Elliott 6, Tsimikas N/A

Match highlights

5′ GOAL WOLVES – A terrible mix-up at the back from Liverpool sees Wolves take an early lead. Sarabia dinks a ball over the top to Hwang and the South Korean’s cross rebounds off Joel Matip and into the Liverpool goal.

12′ GOAL WOLVES – Craig Dawson hooks it home after Liverpool fail to clear the initial free kick.

27′ WOLVES CLOSE TO A THIRD – Matheus Nunes robs Matip on the edge of the box, but shoots straight at Alisson.

14′ NUNEZ TESTS SA – A rare break forward from Liverpool sees the Uruguayan wind up and unleash a powerful shot that is well saved.

51′ HOW DID THEY NOT SCORE? – Keita has time and space in the box and beats Jose Sa with his driven shot, but Max Killman is there to block the shot on the line.

67′ GREAT SAVE JOSE SA – Nunez races onto a long ball from Alexander-Arnold, but his low shot is well saved by the big Portuguese goalkeeper.

71′ GOAL WOLVES – A brilliant counter-attack from Wolves. Joao Moutinho sees Adama Traore’s run and pings the ball into his feet. The Spanish winger plays the ball towards Ruben Neves who beats a defender with his first touch and rolls it into the net with his second.

88’ IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOUR – Jimenez blows a huge chance as Wolves break with four against two, but the Mexican tries to chip Alisson and fails.

Key stats

Wolves: 29 – The hosts made 29 clearances in the second half, including 17 in the first 15 minutes after the break. This was a remarkably resolute performance from Lopetegui’s side, and one that should give them plenty of confidence about their chances of staying up.

Liverpool: 17 – The visitors turned over possession 17 times in the opening 45 minutes, including five times in their own half. Wolves blitzed them with energy and the Reds simply couldn’t match them.