Wolves travelled to Liverpool today, possibly in search of three points – but the Reds stood strong and clinched the win.
After defeat at Portsmouth, a win for Liverpool would be essential in the race for fourth – and for the most part Liverpool were the dominant force, with Wolves barely having a shot on goal all game.
Liverpool started well, hogging possession and making the visitors work for the ball. Almost immediately, Liverpool won a free-kick 25-yards out but Gerrard shot straight at the ‘keeper.
The game progressed with the Reds comfortably on top, but yet again there was absolutely nothing to show for it. For all Liverpool’s possession there were very few shots, and you could tell confidence was low by the players’ reluctance to shoot whenever they had space.
A relatively uneventful first-half ended as it started – with Liverpool dominating, but doing nothing with the ball.
An improved Liverpool side emerged in the second-half, with much more movement off the ball – and it almost paid dividends immediately when Aquilani found Benayoun unmarked in the Wolves box. But the Israeli miscontrolled it, and Wolves managed to clear.
Eventually the Reds found the net when Emiliano Insua crossed for Steven Gerrard, and the Liverpool captain headed the ball home into the top-right corner.
The Reds then doubled their lead after five minutes when Yossi Benayoun went on one of his trademark mazy runs through the visitors’ defence. The little Israeli shot, and the ball was deflected into the net.
With confidence seemingly restored for the time being, and the game looking to be all but won, Pacheco entered the fray and didn’t look out of place for a second. The little Spaniard found Torres in the box with two superb passes, but El Nino appeared to be having an off-day – and didn’t control either of them.
It was a game where Liverpool were also missing Mascherano, but you’d never have noticed – Wolves lacked any real attacking threat, and despite having an attempt tipped over the bar by Reina, they didn’t look as though they could score if they were playing all winter.
Order restored for the time being then? It looks that way.