How Wolves staged a smash-and-grab against a shellshocked Liverpool

[p][a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2EEGBPCWk2NbRkfmLoO3m6?si=iqplVsstSda9djwPL0DaVQ" target="_blank"][b]Listen to an audio version of this article on Spotify.[/b][/a][/p][p]The hosts have had a mini-revival of sorts lately, having drawn with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] in the most surprising Premier League result this season, before also beating local rivals [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aston-villa/W00wmLO0/"]Aston Villa[/a].[/p][p]However, given that Liverpool had won the last six league meetings between the two teams, dating back to March 2023, and had four wins in a row in all competitions leading into this match, the visitors would likely have arrived full of confidence.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/slot-arne/lnG1OUjk/"]Arne Slot[/a]'s side would need to guard against complacency though or go the way of the last two opponents to roll up at Molineux.[/p][image alt="Wolves v Liverpool - Recent H2H results" id="be7dbc1b-fa05-458b-a105-56474ccc1add" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="1110c703-8c82-4ed0-9c0d-6e3a50530f3d" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/wolves/j3Azpf5d/"]Wolves[/a]' spurt of form had surely come too late for them to avoid relegation, and 10 losses, three draws, and just two wins at home this season tells its own story.[/p][p]The Reds' challenge for a finish in the Champions League places, meanwhile, was still very much alive, and to that end, a win for them was arguably a must.[/p][h2]Wolves gamble with bold lineup[/h2][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/edwards-rob/MBpIn2MH/"]Rob Edwards[/a]' four changes for Wolves from the side that faced Villa were a bold selection, but on the basis that sometimes risk brings reward, and the hosts had nothing to lose, perhaps that boldness would pay [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/liverpool-lId4TMwf/wolves-j3Azpf5d/?mid=WAZj1LUs"]dividends[/a].[/p][image alt="Wolves vs Liverpool - Starting XIs" id="621844a2-1b39-45fe-9189-5e21c9ab509b" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="80b106e7-b60d-408a-9dbd-48292febe2e4" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]With half an hour played, Edwards could be forgiven for thinking he'd made a huge error. His team had barely seen the ball, with Liverpool hogging 67% of possession during that period.[/p][p]The visitors had threatened consistently without scoring, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/joao-gomes/rcOLZhUD/"]Joao Gomes[/a] appeared to be a lone warrior for the hosts in their fight to grind out a victory.[/p][p]His three completed dribbles and five duels won in the first 30 minutes were more than any other player on the pitch, and that industry was clearly appreciated by his manager, who was akin to a whirling dervish on the touchline.[/p][image alt="Joao Gomes' heat map vs Liverpool" id="862b50b3-92bf-4042-86c7-f39397e6d3cb" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="57a50c77-f722-4a0b-afa3-0b0acff010a1" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Thanks too to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/andre/0pppkHJn/"]Andre[/a], who had won three of his five tackles and made two interceptions, Wolves were just about hanging on for dear life as Liverpool continued to dominate right up until half-time.[/p][h2]No shots for the hosts before half-time[/h2][p]No shots whatsoever for the hosts in the opening 45 minutes was a grim statistic indeed, and it was the 23rd time in their 30 Premier League matches this season that Wolves had failed to score, more often than any other team in the English top flight in 2025/26.[/p][p]However, Slot may have been the more concerned, given that his side's six attempts at goal hadn't borne fruit.[/p][image alt="Wolves v Liverpool - Momentum shift" id="28e3ecb5-459b-4456-92a0-854bb63169a8" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="568df580-756a-4a20-8b26-30160eb5806d" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]In a number of matches this season, the Reds haven't been able to maximise their opportunities, and in previous games, that's always come back to bite them late on.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gravenberch-ryan/Y5aFd8V4/"]Ryan Gravenberch[/a]'s four fouls in the first half may have been the reason why he was hooked at half-time, replaced by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jones-curtis/OnQz9w8h/"]Curtis Jones[/a], though in truth, the Dutchman had offered little.[/p][p]A loss of possession on seven separate occasions and losing all six of the one-on-one duels he'd attempted were ample reasons for the substitution.[/p][h2]Basement boys make the breakthrough[/h2][p]Within seven minutes of the second half beginning, Liverpool had had another five attempts at goal, including one being cleared off the line and another hitting the woodwork when all Jones had to do was chest it in from a yard out. [/p][p]Gomes and Andre continued to disrupt Liverpool's play, and by the end of proceedings, their figures were sensational.[/p][p]The former had attempted 23 duels, winning 14 and also winning possession back on nine occasions, whilst the latter had won seven of his 10 duels and won the ball from a direct opponent 11 times.[/p][embed guid="1bb5c099-2af2-47e3-93bb-5038f3d940d6" url="https://x.com/Wolves/status/2028992052701098182" social-type="twitter" /][p]It certainly wasn't pretty from Wolves, but as the game continued, it appeared to be looking more and more effective.[/p][p]After 72 minutes of the game, the hosts still hadn't had a shot in the game, but just five minutes later, a wonderful move from back to front saw Rodrigo Gomes finish brilliantly past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alisson/UZrQ3bwP/"]Alisson[/a] to give Wolves a lead against the run of play.[/p][p]Although the hosts had avoided defeat in their last four league games when scoring first, there was plenty of time left for Liverpool to at least get back on terms, and sure enough, just 10 minutes later, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/salah-mohamed/08FBycgB/"]Mo Salah[/a] scored his first goal since November.[/p][embed guid="0483c8cf-063b-4cfe-8213-762ad033a55d" url="https://x.com/LFC/status/2028953873495261665" social-type="twitter" /][p]The Egyptian King has had far from a vintage season at the club, with the goal being just his fifth of 25/26. Despite having 11 touches in the Wolves box on the night, his goal was one of only two shots he'd managed in the game, and the only one on target.[/p][p]With the match level heading into injury time, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-dijk-virgil/U59RNqOr/"]Virgil van Dijk[/a] had a great chance to win it, but his downward header was well saved by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jose-sa/tMoomIVO/"]Jose Sa[/a], one of five saves he'd made across the 90+ minutes.[/p][h2]Andre wins it at the death[/h2][p]It proved to be a costly miss too as Wolves broke again, and Andre's shot deflected in off [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gomez-joe/SKt9dxk8/"]Joe Gomez[/a]'s instep.[/p][p]The 14th goal conceded in the last 15 minutes of games by Liverpool left Slot raging and Edwards going all Mourinho-esque with a touchline run to the corner flag.[/p][embed guid="c7f9a8ae-b75a-4244-88cc-5ee0c361015f" url="https://x.com/Wolves/status/2029108159189569852" social-type="twitter" /][p]That goal also ensured that the bottom-placed club in the Premier League won against the reigning champions for the first time since October 2017, when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/crystal-palace/AovF1Mia/"]Crystal Palace[/a] beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a] at Selhurst Park (P9 D1 L8 since).[/p][p]When all is said and done, Liverpool's 19 shots and one goal scored will be something that Messrs. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gakpo-cody/pWyuBud0/"]Gakpo[/a], Salah and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ekitike-hugo/ltVXPlJU/"]Ekitike[/a] et al will need to explain away.[/p][image alt="Wolves v Liverpool - Match Stats" id="eeddb2fc-7f87-44a8-9a2a-de0075119047" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="99348cb4-873b-4109-a97a-d5e1b47da5ca" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Defensively too, 16 tackles attempted collectively and only nine won, needs to be addressed. By contrast, Wolves won 16 of their 25 attempts, suggesting that they wanted it more.[/p][p]If results elsewhere also happen to go against Liverpool, the Reds will be back out of the European places by the weekend, but they only have themselves to blame.[/p][image alt="Jason Pettigrove" id="8d9230c2-54d2-4ca4-a1fb-a218433144ce" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="e1b99a51-8122-4017-8eb2-5a154f814490" original-width="1200" original-height="380" /]