Wolves step up their quest for a first Premier League win of the season on Saturday evening when Liverpool visit Molineux, and wolves.co.uk has everything supporters need to know.
1 | Roll Call
Gary O’Neil is without Yerson Mosquera for, most likely, the rest of the season, so now searches for a way to replace the central defender, who had played every minute of Premier League action before his injury at Aston Villa. Toti has partly returned to training this week, following three matches out with a hamstring injury, and he’ll be assessed on Saturday morning to see if he can come return. Santiago Bueno came off the bench at Villa Park and is another option. Youngster Alfie Pond, who featured at Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup, is now closer to the team too, according to the head coach. Goalkeeper Dan Bentley has recovered from illness and is available once more. Boubacar Traore, Bastien Meupiyou, Enso Gonzalez and Sasa Kalajdzic remain out with long-term injuries.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson is expected to return on Saturday, having missed the last two games with a muscle injury. Caoimhin Kelleher was between the sticks for the past two games, but will return to the bench, should Alisson be available. Harvey Elliott is out with a foot injury, but Arne Slot confirmed no new injury concerns for the Reds. Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota have both held the centre forward position in recent weeks, with the former Old Gold man scoring twice in the week against West Ham United in the Carabao Cup.
Focused. 👊 pic.twitter.com/AtTzrOIYtP
— Wolves (@Wolves) September 27, 2024
2 | The Stat Pack
Goals
- Goncalo Guedes | 3
- Luiz Diaz | 5
Assists
- Jorgen Strand Larsen | 2
- Mohamed Salah | 4
Biggest win
- Wolves 2-0 Burnley | August 2024
- Liverpool 5-1 West Ham | September 2024
Cards
- Rayan Ait-Nouri | 3 yellows, 0 reds
- Dominik Szoboszlai | 2 yellows, 0 reds
Clean sheets
- Dan Bentley | 1
- Alisson | 3
Wednesday work 💪 pic.twitter.com/rO9iWo4H3H
— Wolves (@Wolves) September 25, 2024
3 | Journey to Saturday
Wolves had a feeling of déjà vu at Villa Park last Saturday, as for a second successive weekend they led and looked comfortable in a Premier League game, only to surrender their position of power in the final 20 minutes. On that occasion it was Matheus Cunha’s opener which counted for nothing, with Villa scoring three second half goals to seal the win. Mosquera’s serious knee injury during that Villa comeback added further disappointment to the afternoon for the Old Gold. The previous week Mario Lemina gave Gary O’Neil’s side the advantage over Newcastle United, but the Magpies came back to win at Molineux. It means the wait for a Premier League win continues, with the point at Nottingham Forest all Wolves have to show for their efforts after five matches so far.
Liverpool are finding goals and wins much more comfortable currently. They’ve scored 11 goals in their past three matches, winning all three in different competitions. After suffering a first defeat of the season to Nottingham Forest a fortnight ago, Arne Slot’s side have responded. They beat AC Milan 3-1 at the San Siro, opening their Champions League campaign on a positive note. A routine win over Brentford followed in the Premier League, before West Ham United were easily beaten in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday. The win over the Bees last wekeend left Liverpool second, one point behind leaders Manchester City, after taking 12 points from the first 15 available.
4 | Neves rounds off big Molineux win
Arguably Julen Lopetegui’s finest afternoon as Wolves head coach came against Liverpool at Molineux. The Spaniard’s influence at Molineux had started to spread and a number of new signings featured, as Wolves took the lead thanks to Joel Matip’s early own goal, following good work by Hee Chan Hwang. Craig Dawson then made it a debut to remember by slamming home the second before the break. The win was completed after the break when the Old Gold broke and Adama Traore fed Ruben Neves to calmly slot home the third and add further substance to the club’s eventually successful bid for Premier League survival the following May.
Wolves | Sa, Semedo, Dawson, Kilman, Ait-Nouri (Jonny 83), Neves, Lemina (Podence 83), Hwang (Adama 42), Nunes, Sarabia (Moutinho 60), Cunha (Jimenez 60).
Liverpool | Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Gomez, Robertson (Tsimikas 85), Keita (Henderson 65), Bajcetic (Elliott 76), Thiago (Milner 85), Salah, Gakpo (Oxlade-Chamberlain 85), Nunez.
