Wolves 1-2 Liverpool: Firmino late winner pushes reds close to early title

Premier League
Thursday 23 January 2020 - 8:00 pm
Molineux Stadium
Wolves1
2Liverpool
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8'Henderson ⚽️
33'↔️ Mane off, Minamino on
⚽️ Jiménez52'
55' Robertson
70'↔️ Oxlade-Chamberlain off, Fabinho on
84'Firmino ⚽️
85'↔️ Salah off, Origi on
Moutinho off, Gibbs-White on ↔️87'
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Bobby Firmino popped up with a late drilled strike to ensure the reds won their 14th consecutive game and stretch their unbeaten run to 40 league games.

Liverpool's 16 point lead (with a game still in hand) is a by product of this insanely impressive reds team.

Wolves away, as expected, proved to be one of Liverpool's toughest games of the season.  But despite how impressive they are, they have almost half the number of points Liverpool have amassed.

The crucial point separating Liverpool from 2nd placed Man City is that the reds took 6 points off Wolves, Wolves took 6 points off Man City.  A potential 12 point swing.

Klopp had the luxury of selecting the same team for a third successive game.  The same 11 who beat Spurs away and United at home took to the field at Molineux.  Adam Lallana didn't make the squad due to a virus.

From the outset, the game was exciting.  Buoyed by their home support Wolves were keen to add Liverpool to their bow of Premier League upsets.

But it was the reds who struck early.

As it happened: Wolves 1-2 LFC

Trent Alexander-Arnold earned a corner, and then swung in a cross met by the unlikely head (and then shoulder) of Jordan Henderson.  The Liverpool captain couldn't contain his delight at a rare reds goal.

The reds did suffer some concern when Sadio Mane appeared to pull up midway through the half - he was replaced by Takumi Minamino and after the game Klopp considered he could miss a few games in the next week or so.

Wolves worked hard, and Adama Traore caught Andy Robertson out of position on a number of occasions.

Just before half time, Liverpool should have doubled their lead.  Mo Salah was excellent in fashioning a chance, but he probably should have laid the ball off to the Japanese forward instead of drilling his shot at the legs of the Wolves centre-back.

Salah again went close early in the second half, but it was Wolves who got a crucial equaliser when Traore beat Robertson to fire in a cross for Jiminez to put past Alisson.

It was a fine header and the first 20 minutes of the second half continued with both sides pushing for that second goal.

But Liverpool fans know how long games last these days, and Firmino, who had wasted a couple of chances earlier, was eventually fed by Henderson at the edge of the box and drilled in another away winner.

There was six minutes to go and although Diogo Jota did have a glorious chance to equalise again - Liverpool ran out, for the 22nd time this season, as winners.

The reds look set to land the title before the 30th anniversary of their last one.  A long way before.

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