Liverpool Edge Wolves in Anfield Thriller
Key Takeaways
- Liverpool secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield
- Ryan Gravenberch and Florian Wirtz struck within 60 seconds before halftime to establish control
- Santiago Bueno's second-half header set up a nervy finale for the hosts
- Liverpool dominated possession at 66.6% but needed late defensive resilience to secure three points
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND — Ryan Gravenberch orchestrated Liverpool's crucial 2-1 victory over relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers, scoring the opening goal and helping the seventh-placed Reds navigate a tense Anfield encounter. The Dutch midfielder's 41st-minute strike, followed immediately by Florian Wirtz's breakaway finish, appeared to have settled the contest before Santiago Bueno's 51st-minute response ensured a dramatic conclusion.
The decisive moments arrived in a breathtaking 60-second spell just before halftime. Gravenberch broke the deadlock in the 41st minute, converting from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner after excellent work from Jeremie Frimpong down the right flank. Before Wolves could regroup, Liverpool struck again. Hugo Ekitiké threaded a perfectly weighted through ball to Wirtz, who raced clear on the counter-attack and calmly slotted his right-footed shot past José Sá from the centre of the box. The rapid-fire double appeared to have broken Wolves' resistance, but the visitors refused to surrender.
Wolverhampton, rooted to the bottom of the table with just two points from 16 matches, demonstrated admirable fighting spirit after the interval. Their persistence paid dividends in the 51st minute when Bueno capitalized on a corner kick, bundling home from very close range after Alisson Becker had saved Tolu Arokodare's initial header. André's dangerous cross had created the chaos, and Bueno reacted quickest to convert from point-blank range to the high centre of the goal.
Liverpool dominated the ball with 66.6% possession, pinning Wolverhampton Wanderers back for long stretches, yet the hosts managed only four shots on target from their 14 attempts. Wolves matched that tally of four efforts on goal despite mustering just nine total shots, highlighting their clinical approach when opportunities arose. The visitors committed 13 fouls to Liverpool's five, with André receiving a yellow card in the 56th minute for a bad challenge on Ibrahima Konaté.
The turning point came in those frantic final 15 minutes when Wolves pressed desperately for an equalizer. Alisson produced a crucial 74th-minute save to deny Mateus Mané's long-range effort, while Tolu Arokodare twice went close with efforts that sailed high and wide. Curtis Jones and Alexis Mac Allister worked tirelessly in midfield to protect Liverpool's slender advantage, with Mac Allister forcing a fine save from Sá in the 74th minute during a rare Liverpool counter. Virgil van Dijk and Konaté stood firm as Wolves launched late corners, preserving three vital points.
Looking ahead, Liverpool will travel to face Olympique Marseille on January 21 in Matchday 7 of their European campaign.