Wolverhampton-Liverpool is a match valid for the 22nd day of the Premier League and is played on Saturday at 16:00: TV, formations, predictions.
For the third time in a month Wolverhampton and Liverpool face each other. Wolves and Reds faced each other a few weeks ago in the FA Cup: the first face-to-face had ended in a draw (2-2), which is why it needed a replay – hated by Jurgen Klopp – which Salah and his teammates won by a narrow margin (0-1).
Liverpool nevertheless dropped out of the most important domestic cup in the next round, losing 2-1 to what has now become to all intents and purposes their black beast: Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton, unbeaten in the three matches played against Klopp since he arrived in England. Little bad for the German coach, who must now concentrate on the championship and the comeback, which day after day seems more and more difficult. While waiting to challenge Real Madrid in the rematch of the last Champions League final – first leg of the round of 16 is scheduled at Anfield Road on 21 February – the Reds cannot afford to lose any more ground in the Premier League. The league table is what it is: Liverpool tenth with ten points to make up on Manchester United and Newcastle (who, however, have one match more). The next Champions League is at risk.
Europe this year is not a goal for Wolverhampton, who despite a squad equipped to try and get back into the top seven, have the same points as third-last Bournemouth and are not in the relegation zone due to goal difference.
Lopetegui
The last time Wolves took to the pitch was on 22 January, and at the Etihad Stadium it ended as badly as it could have: Hurricane Haaland battered Julen Lopetegui’s team (3-0) with a hat-trick. The Black and Gold have had two weeks to erase that defeat, which was in some ways a foregone conclusion, but now they will have to face another big side. And the hopes of scoring again are still slim.
The prediction
Liverpool are struggling with the usual absentees – van Dijk will be absent from defence – and as the FA Cup recently showed, it won’t be easy to come back from a Wolverhampton side as hungry for points. It is shaping up to be another hard-fought match like the cup match, in which both should score.
Wolverhampton-Liverpool’s likely line-up
- WOLVERHAMPTON (4-3-3): José Sa; Semedo, Collins, Kilman, Bueno; Nunes, Neves, Lemina; Traoré, Cunha, Podence.
- LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Matip, Robertson; Thiago Alcantara, Bajcetic, Elliott; Salah, Darwin Nunez, Gakpo.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
