Arne Slot’s side were stunned at Molineux as a 94th-minute winner from Andre punished a lethargic Liverpool performance.
Liverpool’s pursuit of a top-four finish suffered a major blow on Tuesday night as they were beaten 2-1 by bottom-of-the-table Wolves.
Despite Mohamed Salah ending his goal drought to level the scores late on, a catastrophic Alisson Becker error allowed Andre to snatch all three points for the hosts in stoppage time.
Liverpool would have been hopeful that they could make it four Premier League wins on the bounce when travelling to Molineux on Tuesday night.
After all, they’d just convincingly beaten West Ham United another side stuck in the relegation spaces in the top-flight 5-2 at Anfield, to ensure they kept up their end of the bargain in the ongoing Champions League race.
However, as has been the case with Liverpool all too often this season, Arne Slot’s Reds are prone to having a dismal off-day, and the Merseyside giants experienced that again on their travels to Molineux.
When Mohamed Salah broke his goal drought to equalise, with seven minutes remaining on the clock, the expectations inside the away end would have been that Slot side would then go on to perhaps win.
Instead, Andre fired home a 94th-minute winner for Rob Edwards side, who are sat rock bottom of the entire division.
It has been a sobering night for those with Anfield connections, with five talking points to digest right after the eye-opening 2-1 defeat:
1. Salah ending nine game goal drought
Of course, while many of a Liverpool persuasion will be rightly gutted about the bruising nature of the defeat, and what that means for their beloved side’s hopes of finishing inside the top four, they will be pleased that Salah finally has that monkey off his back.
The Egyptian’s breakaway strike was the first time he’d found the back of the net in Premier League action since November 1st, and it was a typical, lightning-quick surge forward from the magical number 11 to beat Jose Sa.
On another night, this goal would have been celebrated more, but a defeat has left a bad taste in the mouth.
2. Alisson could be dropped in the FA Cup
he pressure is mounting on Arne Slot to make a ruthless call between the sticks, with Alisson Becker’s recent uncharacteristic “leakiness” forcing a difficult conversation.
While the Brazilian has been a cornerstone of the modern Liverpool era, his high-profile lapses in concentration have become a recurring nightmare in the hunt for a top-four finish.
With Giorgi Mamardashvili waiting in the wings and hungry for his chance, the time may have arrived to favor the hot hand. Slot has shown he isn’t afraid to be pragmatic, and reinstating the Georgian international could provide the defensive reset Liverpool desperately needs to stop the rot.
During the early stages of February, the Brazilian would have been considered one of the most reliable stoppers in all of the division, having collected three straight clean sheets.
Now, however, he has reminded us all that he’s only human, as his inaccurate goal kicks came under the microscope at Molineux, with the South American perhaps benefitting from a rest, so the 25-year-old reserve figure can show what he’s about.
3. Rio Nguhoma must start on Friday night
While Allison and several first-team faces could drop out of the starting XI after suffering from a poor performance at Wolves, Rio Nguhoma must fancy his chances of taking the place of a senior figure, after looking bright in yet another substitute cameo on Tuesday night.
Indeed, Nguhoma would very nearly score from his 25 minutes of action, after coming on to replace a hot-and-cold Cody Gakpo.
The FA Cup clash coming on Friday night just feels like the perfect opportunity to gift the 17-year-old ace a rare start, as he could well be a key livewire that allows Slot’s men to immediately bounce back from defeat.
4. Gravenberch’s feels Slot’s wrath
Often a guaranteed starter under the Dutchman this season, Ryan Gravenberch arguably fell victim to one of his flattest performances of the entire campaign during the 2-1 loss.
His manager certainly felt that way, as the ex-Bayern Munich man felt his wrath when he was hooked off after just 45 minutes on the Molineux turf.
The number 38 failed to win a single duel during that drab run-out, as Slot now contemplates what his midfield set-up will look like when returning to Wolves at the end of the week.
5. A massive opportunity squandered
This was a massive ball dropped by Liverpool on a night when the margin for error in the Champions League race has effectively vanished. With the battle for those lucrative top-four spots reaching a fever pitch, these are the “banker” fixtures that define a season’s success or failure.
On paper, a trip to Molineux should have been a straightforward assignment against a Wolves side that looks increasingly resigned to Championship football next term. Instead, the Reds served up a lethargic performance that failed to respect the desperation of the Premier League’s basement club, leaving their European aspirations hanging by a thread.
The current situation near the top:
| Position | Team | Points | Goal Difference |
| 4th | Manchester United | 51 | +12 |
| 5th | Aston Villa | 51 | +8 |
| 6th | Liverpool | 48 | +9 |
Yet, the unpredictability of the Premier League was their undoing, as Manchester United now lick their lips at the three-point gap opening up between themselves and their arch rivals, as Michael Carrick’s Red Devils sit comfortably inside the top four.
Of course, there is still a chunk of the captivating campaign to be played, but it’s evident Liverpool has lost significant ground by coming unstuck in the West Midlands.
