The old gold put three past Liverpool to launch themselves up the Premier League table, and the head coach was pleased with both the goals and the clean sheet, but also praised the environment and attitude of the camp. Aware that a long and hard road remains ahead for Wolves, but Lopetegui says returning to work on the back of this victory will be an enjoyable feeling.
On a big three points
“We are very happy, of course. We are proud of the players and, above all, about the win. We need wins to achieve our aim. Today we played against a very good team, Liverpool, and I think in the first half we overcame them, we scored two goals, sometimes you overcome the opponent but don’t score, it’s very different.
“At the start of the second half they overcame us, they are a very good team, we suffered in the first 20, 25 minutes, but after we changed some things and we recovered control a little bit, we were able to damage them with the space, and we got a very good score, a very good win for us.
“We have a good feeling, of course. It’s easier to go to work the next day, but you have to be ready to go to work the next day with energy when you win and when you’ve lost. This is football. It’s going to be a very long and hard race until the end, today we are happy, tomorrow we continue.”
On starting lively
“Against these kinds of teams, you have to be very close to perfection, if not you don’t score, and sometimes it’s not enough. We tried to defend well, to be aggressive, and to tried to damage them with the ball of course. It’s not easy, it’s easier if you score very quickly, as we did today.
“In the end, they’re three points, we haven’t done anything, in front of us we have very hard work. Today we are happy, of course. It was a pity the hamstring injury for Hee Chan, after we’ll try to prepare and be ready for the next match.”
Three goals. Three points.
— Wolves (@Wolves) February 4, 2023
What an afternoon at Molineux 🔥 pic.twitter.com/clLE2xBAFD
On the clean sheet
“It’s not possible to explain all that happens in football, sometimes I think we deserved to score, we have made big chances. I prefer to highlight the clean sheet; the clean sheet is key in football. We have quality and are going to have chances, but we are happy because we deserved to win and got it.
“I want to highlight the team in general, they played in a very good way with and without the ball. We suffered a lot, we tried to damage a team, we suffered when we had to, this is normal, you’re playing against one of the best teams in the world. We are happy today, but tomorrow we are going to think of the next match.”
On new players making an impact
“It’s not easy for them, of course, but they are our players and have the possibility to play. I want to highlight the attitude and the environment of the dressing room, it’s very important for the team, sometimes you play one player, sometimes one other. Today we had the injury of Hee Chan, so we have one player less. All the players are going to be ready and will be key, but the most important thing was the team.
“They arrived ten days ago and, of course, they are our players and have the opportunity to come in for us. Maybe the next match we are going to change three or four players, I don’t know, but this is the task of all the players.”
On Hwang’s injury
“It’s a pity for us because his injury was a hamstring. We don’t know how long he’s going to be out. It was a pity because he’s a very good player, a very different player, he understands us tactically, but that’s why we have a good squad and now we have to choose another player.”
