Wolves 1-2 Liverpool. Mohamed Salah’s second-half penalty sealed a 2-1 victory for Liverpool over winless Wolves, taking the Reds back to the top of the Premier League. Salah’s spot-kick restored Liverpool’s lead after Rayan Ait-Nouri had briefly equalized, canceling out Ibrahima Konaté’s first Premier League goal, which had given the visitors the advantage at Molineux.
Arne Slot’s Liverpool capitalized on Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Newcastle, reclaiming top spot from Arsenal with a hard-fought win. Wolves, however, remain at the foot of the table, still in search of their first win of the season.
Wolves Start Strong, but Liverpool Take Control
Wolves began with energy, showing early promise as Matheus Cunha tested Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson. Despite some nervy moments in defense, the hosts opened brightly, but their season-long issue of failing to convert positive performances into results persisted.
As the first half progressed, Liverpool slowly took control. They nearly took the lead five minutes before the break when Virgil van Dijk threaded a pass to Diogo Jota, whose low cross found Dominik Szoboszlai. However, Sam Johnstone’s reflex save kept the game level.
Liverpool did finally break the deadlock in first-half stoppage time. Jota surged past Jorgen Strand Larsen, delivering a cross that found Konaté, who powered a header past Johnstone to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Salah’s Penalty Secures the Win
Liverpool could have doubled their lead early in the second half when Salah intercepted a wayward pass from Mario Lemina, but his shot flew wide of an open goal. Wolves took advantage of that missed opportunity, equalizing in the 56th minute. A mis-hit shot from Carlos Forbs fell to Ait-Nouri, who slotted in from close range after Larsen had caught Konaté off guard.
However, Wolves’ joy was short-lived. Just five minutes later, Nelson Semedo’s foul on Jota in the box handed Salah the chance to restore Liverpool’s lead, which he did with a calm penalty conversion.
Wolves Struggle to Convert Performances into Results
For Wolves, it was another frustrating afternoon, much like their recent defeats to Newcastle, Chelsea, and Aston Villa. Despite showing flashes of promise, Gary O’Neil’s side once again failed to turn a positive start into points. Ait-Nouri’s equalizer offered hope, but Semedo’s costly foul quickly undid their hard work.
With Brentford and Manchester City coming up, Wolves face a tough road ahead. If they can’t secure a win against Brighton by the end of October, they could head into November still searching for their first victory of the season. O’Neil had emphasized the need to convert positive moments into results, but Wolves’ failure to do so leaves their future looking bleak.
Liverpool’s Resilience Under Slot
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s victory marked their fifth win from six games, with only a surprise 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest marring their near-perfect start under new manager Arne Slot. Despite riding out an early storm from Wolves, Liverpool gradually took control and showed their resilience.
Slot’s Liverpool may not play with the “heavy metal football” of Jurgen Klopp’s era, but they are finding their rhythm. Salah’s penalty might have been a gift, but it returned Liverpool to the top of the league and showed their ability to bounce back quickly after conceding.
There were moments of concern, such as Konaté’s error that led to Wolves’ equalizer, but overall, Liverpool are developing a winning habit. They have shown they can overcome setbacks both during games and following defeats, and their upcoming clash with Arsenal at the Emirates next month already looms large as a key fixture in the title race.
source – BBC