Liverpool vs Wolves
Premier League (18) | Anfield
December 27, 3:00 PM (GMT)
The Reds beat Tottenham 2-1 before Christmas, going unbeaten in all six games and breathing much-needed life into the season.
Next up on Saturday is the visit of a Wolves side who have endured a terrible Premier League season. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the match.
1. A game to remember Diogo Jota
This is the first time Liverpool and Wolves have met since the tragic death of Diogo Jota in July.
For that reason, this promises to be an emotional event as both groups of supporters show their love for a popular player.
Diogo’s two sons will be part of Liverpool’s matchday mascots.
2. Wolves the worst Premier League team ever?
It has been a disastrous season for Wolves, who are certainly in danger of becoming the worst Premier League team in history in terms of points.
They have collected just two points from their first seventeen league games. They played back-to-back games against Spurs and at home to Brighton in late September and early October.
Vitor Pereira was replaced by Rob Edwards last month, but Wolves have shown little sign of improvement so this is a must-win game for Liverpool.
There are few games in the Premier League that are easy, but the Reds couldn’t ask for a friendlier post-Christmas fixture.
3. Liverpool team news: Isak out and two 50-50s
Alexander IsaacThe club’s broken leg is a huge setback for both the player and Liverpool, with the Reds’ record setback following surgery for several months.
Conor Bradley And Cody Agat are rated “50/50” for Saturday, while Joe Gomes is still missing and won’t return until the new year.
Giovanni Leoni, Wataru Endo, Stefan Bajcetic And Jayden dance are all out.
Muhammad Salah represents Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations, scoring a late winner in the 2-1 win over Zimbabwe on Monday, while Dominik Szoboszlai has been suspended.
4. Predicted Liverpool XI
Liverpool will be well rested after a week without a game and Arne Slot should name a similar XI to the one against Spurs.
Jeremy Frimpong will come in if Bradley is out, while Milos Kerkez has improved of late and should stay ahead of Andy Robertson.
With Szoboszlai suspended for picking up five yellow cards, Liverpool has had to make do without a player of the season so far.
Federico Chiesa could be the man to come in and potentially make his first league start of the season.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Jones, Mac Allister; Chiesa, Wirtz, Ekitike
5. How might Wolves line up against Liverpool?
Like Liverpool, Wolves haven’t played since last weekend, but will Edwards make any changes?
Former Reds youngster Ki-Jana Hoever is likely to start at right wing-back after featuring in the 2-0 home defeat to Brentford last Saturday.
Midfielder Andre was linked with a move to Liverpool before joining Wolves and he and Joao Gomes are key figures for the visitors.
Rodrigo Gomes, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Hugo Bueno and Toti Gomes are among the injured while Yerson Mosquera is suspended.
Possible wolves XI: So; Doherty, Bueno, Krejci; Hoever, Lopez, Andre, Gomes, Moller Wolfe; Hwang, Larsen Beach
6. What Arne Slot said during his press conference
In a conversation with the media, Slot admitted that he was not impressed by Micky van de Ven’s leg-breaking tackle on Isak:
“This was a reckless challenge for me.
“I think I’ve said a lot about Xavi Simons’ tackle, which for me was completely unintentional, and I don’t think you’ll ever get an injury from a tackle like that.
“Van de Ven’s tackle. I think that if you make that tackle 10 times, I think that 10 times there is a serious chance that a player will sustain a serious injury.”
7. Liverpool’s dominant Anfield record against Wolves
It’s fair to say that Liverpool are enjoying this match and have won all of their last eight home Premier League games against Wolves.
Last season, a goal from Luis Diaz and a penalty from Salah ensured that the future champions won 2-1 at Anfield.
That said, Wolves won 2-1 there in the fourth round of the FA Cup in 2017, and drew 2-2 in the third round in 2023, with Liverpool winning the replay at Molineux 1-0.
Wolves’ last win at Anfield in the league was a 1-0 victory in December 2010, during the low point of Roy Hodgson’s reign.
8. Did you know?
Hugo Ekitike has been compared to Fernando Torres in terms of style, which is high praise for Liverpool’s new signing.
In fact, the Frenchman has achieved almost as much success as the Spaniard in the Premier League.
Ekitike scored eight goals in 16 league matches, scoring just 11 times, while Torres scored nine times in the same period.
Both were 23 in their first season at Liverpool – let’s hope the comparisons continue in the years to come!
9. Who referees Liverpool vs. Wolves?
Simon Hooper will referee Saturday’s match, which won’t exactly please Liverpool fans!
Many officials are unpopular among the fan base, but Hooper’s involvement in that That Diaz’s disallowed goal at Spurs in 2023 will not be forgotten.
Adrian Holmes and Simon Long are his assistants at Anfield this weekend and Adam Herczeg is the fourth official.
In the VAR booth, Michael Salisbury is assisted by James Mainwaring.
10. Follow the match with TIA
Liverpool vs. Wolves starts at 3pm (GMT), but is therefore not live on British television.
So This is Anfield‘s match day live blog is the place to be, with Sam Milne to keep you company during the afternoon.
Come on, Reds!
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