Liverpool is gearing up to resume their Premier League campaign against Wolverhampton Wanderers after the international break.
Jurgen Klopp’s squad is coming off a dominant 3-0 victory over Aston Villa in game-week four, while Wolves faced a 3-2 defeat against Crystal Palace.
Match Preview
During the recent clash between Crystal Palace and Wolves, the first half was uneventful, with both teams failing to make an impact.
However, the second half saw a thrilling display from both sides, resulting in five goals. Unfortunately for Wolves, two of those goals were scored by Odsonne Edouard, making Hwang Hee-chan and Matheus Cunha’s headers insignificant.
Despite their morale-boosting wins against Everton and Blackpool in August, Wolves find themselves in 15th place in the Premier League standings after three losses this season.
The transition period after the departure of Julen Lopetegui was anticipated, and while they gave Manchester United a tough challenge in gameweek one, points are crucial in the relegation battle.
Although Wolves have only suffered a 4-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion at Molineux this season, their previous five-game unbeaten streak, where they conceded just one goal, seems distant. Facing a goal-hungry Liverpool team, the international break couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Liverpool faced a challenging test against Aston Villa without their first-choice center-backs but emerged victorious with a convincing 3-0 win.
The goals from Dominik Szoboszlai, Matty Cash’s own goal, and Mohamed Salah’s close-range finish showcased Liverpool’s strength.
Despite persistent transfer rumors, Mohamed Salah remains committed to Liverpool. The team currently sits third in the table, with 10 points from 12 on offer after four games.
Only Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur have performed marginally better due to their goal difference. Liverpool is on a 15-game unbeaten streak in the Premier League, scoring in 14 of those matches.
Liverpool’s focus now turns to their Europa League opener against LASK Linz, but they must first seek to avenge last season’s disappointing 3-0 loss to Wolves at Molineux in February. Liverpool partially rectified that defeat with a 2-0 victory at Anfield a few weeks later.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Premier League Form: L L W L W
Wolverhampton Wanderers Form (All Competitions): L L W W L
Liverpool Premier League Form: D W W W
Team News
Wolves’ medical team is currently monitoring Joe Hodge, who suffered a thigh injury in August. The early kickoff may pose challenges for both managers, with Hwang and Cunha facing tiring journeys back to the West Midlands. Sasa Kalajdzic is an option to replace Cunha if needed.
Liverpool’s manager, Jurgen Klopp, must assess the fitness of returning players, including Alisson Becker, Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz, and Darwin Nunez.
Thiago Alcantara is also in doubt due to a hip injury. Klopp may once again be without his primary center-backs, Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk.
However, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip provided a solid defensive performance against Villa. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s thigh concern adds to Klopp’s defensive concerns.
Possible Starting Lineups
Wolverhampton Wanderers:
- Sa
- Semedo
- Dawson
- Kilman
- Bueno
- Sarabia
- Lemina
- Gomes
- Neto
- Kalajdzic
- Silva
Liverpool:
- Alisson
- Alexander-Arnold
- Matip
- Gomez
- Robertson
- Szoboszlai
- Endo
- Jones
- Salah
- Gakpo
- Jota
Prediction
Late returns from South America and defensive concerns may challenge Liverpool, but the returning Gomez and Matip provided a strong defense against Villa.
Players like Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo can step up if needed. Wolverhampton Wanderers may struggle to halt Liverpool’s momentum this Saturday lunchtime.
