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Liverpool ran out comfortable winners as they beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 in the Premier League on Wednesday, March 1.
The Reds were looking to recapture the glimpses they showed in the wins against Everton and Newcastle United. Following a drab 0-0 outing against Crystal Palace, Jurgen Klopp made a host of changes to the side. The return of Ibrahima Konate and Darwin Nunez from injury served as positive news for the Reds.
Alongside the pair, they completely changed their midfield three. With a victory, Liverpool aimed to occupy sixth position and continue their push for a Champions League qualification spot.
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Julen Lopetegui's Wolves side were coming off a well-contested draw against Fulham. He made a solitary change to the team, bringing in Joao Moutinho for Matheus Cunha, who was injured.
The game started off on an attacking note from both sides. Moutinho's shot forced a save from Alisson in the fourth minute as both teams looked to get on the front foot.
An injury to Wolves left-back Hugo Bueno meant an early change, with Rayan Ait-Nouri replacing the Spaniard.
Harvey Elliott then missed a pair of chances. First. he had a glaring miss from point-blank range, sending a header wide after Diogo Jota slipped Nunez through. He then struck a volley from the edge of the box from Nunez's pass, but Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa was up to the task.
The half ended 0-0, with Lopetegui's men looking sharp and organized against a threatening Liverpool attack.
The second half saw Liverpool continue to be in the driver's seat, asking questions of the Wolves defense. Elliott had yet another chance but could only manage a meek effort on goal.
Liverpool then thought they'd taken the lead through a Darwin Nunez finish, but the goal did not stand as Jota had committed a foul in the process.
Minutes later, the Reds did take the lead after Virgil van Dijk scored from close range from Jota's cross. Salah then made it 2-0 soon thereafter when Kostas Tsimikas squared the ball through to him for a simple finish.
With three points secured, Liverpool moved up to sixth place in the Premier League. They are level with Fulham on 39 points but have a game in hand over the London side. With that said, here are the player ratings from the game.
Liverpool Player Ratings
Alisson - 6.5/10
The Brazilian goalkeeper was largely untroubled for much of the game. He made a smart stop early on in the game and went home with a clean sheet.
Trent Alexander-Arnold - 7/10
Alexander-Arnold was at his usual dangerous best going forward with the ball. The full-back linked up well with Mohammad Salah on the right flank, causing a lot of problems for the Wolves defense. He finished the game with two key passes and two completed dribbles.
Ibrahima Konate - 6.5/10
The Frenchman had a quiet outing after returning from injury and played well to keep a clean sheet.
Virgil van Dijk - 8/10
Van Dijk was all over the field against Lopetegui's men. Defensively, the Dutchman looked imposing as Wolves could never really pose a threat to the Liverpool goal. He also bagged the first goal of the night with a determined second effort. He finished with three aerial duels won, two clearances, a goal and a key pass.
Konstantinos Tsimikas - 7.5/10
Jurgen Klopp took a gamble, giving Andrew Robertson a rest. Tsimikas stepped up and paid off the gamble with a brilliant outing against Wolves. He looked a constant threat going forward, setting up an easy tap-in for Salah for the second goal. He finished with two key passes, two clearances and an interception.
Fabinho - 6.5/10
The Brazilian had a solid outing in the middle of the park. Except for a poor tackle that resulted in a yellow card, the midfielder was a calm and composed presence for the Reds on the night.
Stefan Bajcetic - 6.5/10
Bajcetic also had a quiet night. He was involved well in the link-up play but was subbed off after the second goal.
Harvey Elliott - 6.5/10
It was a day of what could have been for the youngster. He looked sharp in attack, linking well on the right side of the attack. He had three chances to put Liverpool in front but was wasteful.
Mohamed Salah - 7.5/10
Early on, it didn't look like a great night for the Egyptian. While he looked threatening in the first half, the team couldn't really generate great chances. However, in the second half he came alive, scoring the second goal which put the result to bed. He finished with one key pass, one completed cross and two completed dribbles.
Diogo Jota - 7/10
Jota had a decent outing against his former team. His cross set up the first goal and overall was decent for Klopp's side. He was substituted for Cody Gakpo after the first goal.
Darwin Nunez - 7/10
The Uruguayan had a decent game against Wolves. He was highly involved in the attack and set up Harvey Elliott for two good chances. He also had a goal which was later ruled out by VAR. He finished with three key passes and three dribbles completed
Substitutes
Cody Gakpo - 6/10
The Dutchman came on for Diogo Jota after 75 minutes. He did not contribute much to the game as Liverpool looked to defend their advantage.
Jordan Henderson - 6/10
Coming on for Stefan Bajcetic after the second goal close to the 80-minute mark, Henderson was tasked with seeing the game through and performed decently.
James Milner and Roberto Firmino - N/A
The pair came on for the dying moments and did not play enough minutes to warrant a rating.
