Liverpool avoided a scare of taking their winless run in all competitions to three matches as they avoided a seemingly looming draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Both sides tried everything they could to break the deadlock but it was until late on in the game before Liverpool found an inroad to pierce the heart of the Wolverhampton Wanderers side.
Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers line-up and formation
Jurgen Klopp set his side up in a 4-3-3 formation as customary with The Reds while their opposition tutored by Julen Lopetegui went into the encounter with a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Liverpool started in goal with their usual shot-stopper, Alisson Becker, in defence, they went with Tsmikas, Virgil Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Alexander Arnold.
Fabinho, Bajcetic and Elloitt were the three men in midfield for The Reds while upfront they set up with Nunez, Diogo Jota and Mohammed Salah.
For Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sa was in the goalkeeping position, Semedo, Dawson, Kilman and Bueno in defense.
Ruben Neves and Lemina were the men in defensive midfield, in attacking midfield Sarabia, Moutinho and Nunez took charge.
The lone man upfront for Wolverhampton Wanderers was Raul Jiminez and he tried in his own way but the Liverpool defense were astute on the night.
How the first half of action went
Wolverhampton Wanderers had the best chances in the early exchanges with Alison tipping a shot that was goal bound from Joao Moutinho.
Sarabia then tried to smash his own shot but it went wide and beyond the post.
On the fifteenth (15) minute Stefan Bajcetic picked up the first yellow card in the game after a poor challenge on Matheus Nunez.
Wolverhampton Wanderers made their first substitution of the game but it was a forced change as Hugo Bueno picked up an injury and was substituted minutes later for Rayan Ait Nouri.
The game was still even-steven for the entire duration of the first half but Nelson Semedo picked up a yellow card after a high boot raised in a midfield battle with Bajcetic.
Liverpool then had a great chance five (5) minutes before the interval as Diego Jota supplied Darwin Nunez near the wings with the resultant attack leading to a cutback finding Harvey Elloit in the box but Elliott couldn’t bury the chance.
Jose Sa was on hand in additional time of the first half as he saved the blushes of Wolves when Elliott struck the ball aiming for the bottom corner from inside the box.
The second player to pick up a yellow card for Wolverhampton Wanderers and the third yellow card of the game was Pablo Sarabia and it was for a sliding tackle that resulted in the referee pulling out his card.
How the second half of action fared
Wolverhampton Wanderers made their second substitution as they introduced Adama Traore for Pablo Sarabia instantly as the second half commenced.
On the fifty-third (53rd) minute, Brazilian midfielder Fabinho picked up the first and only yellow card for a Liverpool player at Anfield on the night.
Youngster Elliott had another great chance on the fifty-fifth (55th) minute but it was saved by Sa after the young Englishman fired a weak effort at him.
On the sixty-fourth (64th) minute, Daniel Podence came on to replace Portuguese midfielder Joao Moutinho and Joao Gomes came on for Matheus Nunez.
Three minutes after the substitution, Uruguayan attacker Darwin Nunez’s goal was chalked off by VAR after his team was adjudged to have fouled a Wolves player in the build-up to the goal.
Ruben Neves was yellow carded on the sixty-eight (68th) minute after he reacted brashly at the referee following Darwin Nunez’s chalked off goal.
On the seventy-third (73rd) minute Van Dijk took Liverpool ahead after he nodded the ball beyond Sa and into an empty net to hand Liverpool the lead.
Four minutes after Van Dijk’s header off a cross from Diogo Jota, Mohammed Salah finished sublimely from close range.
A minute before the goal Cody Gakpo came on to replace Diogo Joto in attack for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Jordan Henderson replaced Stefan Bajcetic and Wolverhampton Wanderers also responded with their own substitution on the seventy-nineth (79th) minute sending onto the field Diego Costa for Raul Jiminez.
Liverpool looked to have sealed the job few weeks after they lost by 3-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Molinuex Stadium in the first leg of this encounter in the Premier League.
Jurgen Klopp made his last and final substitutions on the 89th minute substituting Darwin Nunez and Trent Alexander Arnold for Roberto Firmino and James Milner respectively.
Jurgen Klopp and fans of Liverpool would be happy with the win
Fans of The Reds and Jurgen Klopp would definitely be delighted seeing their club defeat Julen Lopetegui’s side to pick up their first win in three matches after they lost to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League and they followed that up with a draw to Crystal Palace.
It ended 2-0 in favor of Liverpool under the beaming lights at Anfield and certainly the hearts of the faithfuls of the club based in Merseyside would be beaming with joy.
With that victory, Liverpool move to sixth (6th) position on the Premier League table and six points behind Tottenham Hotspur who occupy the fourth (4th) position on the league table.
