Jurgen Klopp said he had waited “ages” for Liverpool to win the game with a positive performance, after the Reds booked their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup with a stunning victory over Wolves at Molineux.
Harvey Elliott’s brilliant first-half drive earned Klopp’s side their first win since the start of the year just three days after a disappointing defeat at Brighton in the Premier League.
Wolves piled on the pressure in the latter stages but the much-changed visitors booked a fourth-round meeting with the Seagulls on Sunday, January 29.
“It feels like years ago we had the feeling of winning and playing well,” Klopp told BBC One afterwards.
“We had to fight hard at the end but we controlled the game for a long time. It’s great and the reaction we wanted to see.”
Tuesday’s victory was Liverpool’s third since domestic football resumed after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
A 3–2 League Cup defeat at Manchester City on 22 December followed tough Premier League games against Aston Villa and Leicester, before drawing 2–2 with Wolves at Anfield in Brentford and Brighton. Before humiliating defeats on both sides.
“We had some man-of-the-match performances today,” Klopp continued. “We played very well in the first half, had good periods in the second and in the end it was the spirit of stopping shots.”
Wolves’ improvement under Julen Lopetegui was clear to see but the home side failed to seriously threaten Caoimhin Kelleher’s goal until late on, when Ruben Neves, Raul Jimenez and Matheus Cunha all went close to equalizing.
Reds deliver perfect response
A power cut inside the stadium caused a brief interruption in play in the first minute, but the visiting Liverpool supporters didn’t have to wait long for teenager Elliott to light up Molineux with a classy goal.
The 19-year-old – one of eight changes from Saturday’s defeat at Brighton – received a pass from Thiago Alcantara, advanced unchallenged into the Wolves’ half and launched a powerful 30-yard effort that deflected off goalkeeper Jose Sa’s diving head. Went over. Net
The goal appeared to settle Liverpool, who continued to attack with pace and intensity, forcing the hosts into errors in possession.
Fabio Carvalho again found the back of the net for Wolves 10 minutes before half-time, but the former Fulham forward was ruled offside by Naby Keita and the goal was disallowed.
Wolves’ best chance of the first half went to lively Adama Traore, who headed in Neves’ pass but failed to hit the target from a tight angle.
Lopetegui introduced Mathis Nunes and Nelson Semedo at half-time in a bid to reinvigorate his team, but the hosts continued to struggle in the final third until Cunha and Daniel Podens came on with 25 minutes remaining.
Jimenez and Cunha both failed to hit the target from promising positions, before the latter sent a header into the arm of Kelleher from inside the penalty area.
Fellow second-half substitute Curtis Jones missed the chance to double Liverpool’s advantage when he dragged a shot wide of the far post in the 90th minute, but the holders secured their first clean sheet in eight games and a place in the fourth round.
“It’s not easy to play against Liverpool but in my opinion we deserved more than the second half,” Lopetegui said. “We had two or three clear situations – not chances but clear situations.
“We are sad of course. The most important is the Premier League, but competing in the cup we had a big desire to win it.”
