MY ACCOUNT
– Liverpool have conceded first in three of their last four matches but have lost just once at home
– Wolves have scored just 11 goals in the Premier League this season but have netted in their last four away games
– Recommended bet: Tie/Liverpool in the Half Time/Full Time market
The FA Cup appears to be Liverpool’s last hope of landing domestic silverware in 2023 and the Reds face a tricky third-round challenge at home to Premier League rivals Wolves.
Jurgen Klopp’s side were domestic knockout double winners last term, but hopes of a repeat ended with last month’s 3-2 loss away to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup fourth round.
Wolves have not lifted the FA Cup since 1960 but they were semi-finalists in 2019 when suffering a 3-2 extra-time defeat to Watford.
Team news
Liverpool have not been having much luck on the injury front and face a period of time without Virgil van Dijk, who was forced out of Monday’s 3-1 loss at Brentford with a hamstring issue.
Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota are thought to be two months and one month away from a return, respectively, but Klopp’s offensive options are enhanced by the likelihood of a debut performance from new signing Cody Gakpo.
There are reduced attacking choices for Wolves head coach Julen Lopetegui, who withdrew Daniel Podence (knock) at half-time in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.
Podence looks set to join Sasa Kalajdzic, Chiquinho (both knee), Boubacar Traore (unspecified injury) and Pedro Neto (ankle) on the sidelines.
The stats
Liverpool’s run of four successive Premier League wins came to an end with Monday’s loss at Brentford, but they are approaching the Wolves game on a sequence of five successive FA Cup home wins.
Klopp’s side have conceded the opening goal in three of their last four matches but they have lost just one of 13 home fixtures since the start of the campaign.
Wolves are the Premier League’s lowest scorers with 11 goals in 18 games, although they have found the net in each of their last four away fixtures.
They have won just four of their last 14 FA Cup away matches, although one of those triumphs was a 2-1 fourth-round victory at Anfield in January 2017.
Prediction
Klopp will be looking for a response after Liverpool’s disappointing defeat at Brentford and his team should do just enough to overcome Wolves on Merseyside.
The Liverpool manager will be aware of the importance of reducing the risk of further injuries to key players and it seems likely that he will deploy a few youngsters and fringe players.
Klopp adopted a similar strategy for the EFL Cup fourth-round tie at Manchester City when Liverpool started the game poorly but performed a lot better in the second half.
The Reds improved at the Etihad after bringing experienced players off the substitutes’ bench and they are likely to have a few match-winners in reserve once again.
Wolves’s best chance is to start quickly and try to get a lead but they have scored just five first-half goals in their last 15 matches and may struggle to get many sights of the Liverpool goal.
There has been an improvement in Wolves’s performances under Julen Lopetegui, but they remain desperately short of firepower and are unlikely to spring a surprise this weekend.
Liverpool may once again take their time before they get going but they should have enough to progress and the Tie/Liverpool result in the Half Time/Full Time market at 3/1 with LiveScore Bet is well worth considering.
