MY ACCOUNT
Divock Origi hit a stoppage-time winner to send Liverpool above Chelsea in the Premier League table as the Reds overcame Wolves 1-0 at Molineux.
A dramatic breakthrough arrived in the fourth added minute when Mohamed Salah raced down the right and pulled the ball back for Origi, who controlled, turned and fired past Jose Sa to decide a game that looked certain to finish goalless.
The Reds, who had scored at least twice in each of their last 18 games, dominated possession and had two particularly presentable chances, but they were mainly handled well by a strong Wolves defence until the late drama.
A determined home side grew into the game, and threatened on occasion, with Adama Traore particularly troubling the Liverpool midfield and backline with his power and pace, but ultimately it was not enough to avoid defeat.
After a quiet start, the game came to life around the half-hour mark as Trent Alexander-Arnold and former Wolves man Diogo Jota missed opportunities from crosses, but it was Salah who came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half.
The Egyptian was about to tap in an Andy Robertson ball across the box when Romain Saiss somehow nicked the ball away from the Premier League’s top scorer at the last moment.
The visitors continued to probe for an opener in the second half and could not believe they were not ahead on the hour. Jota seized on a mistake between Jose Sa and Saiss but inexplicably smashed the ball straight at Conor Coady on the goal-line.
After trying to blow the Wolves’ door down, the winner finally arrived when Salah squared for Belgian substitute Origi, who made no mistake to send his team top of the table for at least a few hours.
What does it mean? Reds starting to look like title winners
After West Ham’s win against Chelsea earlier in the day, Liverpool were desperate to do their job and get three points to take them above the Blues.
For most of the afternoon it looked like, for the second time in the last few weeks, the Reds were going to be unable to capitalise on a Chelsea slip-up, having lost to West Ham on the same weekend that Thomas Tuchel’s men drew at home to Burnley.
They finally got the win at Molineux with a last-gasp goal, very much akin to the late winners they managed when they lifted the league title two seasons ago.
Origi presents the late, late show, again
There are few players more enigmatic than Origi. A man who arguably deserves a statue more than a starting place at Anfield after famous late goals in a Champions League final and a Merseyside derby in recent years.
It had been a while since the Belgian scored the sort of late goal for which he had become renowned, but he was in the right place at the right time with ice in his veins to score his first Premier League goal since the final day of the 2019-20 season.
Unlucky Wolves lack bite
This outcome felt harsh on Bruno Lage’s side, having defended so well for almost the entire 95 minutes. Before today they had the joint-third best defence in the league this season, level with Liverpool on 12 conceded, and it was evident why as they limited their free-scoring visitors mostly to a few half-chances before they were finally beaten.
Wolves are struggling to even look like scoring at the other end, though, having only three shots here with one on target, following up a 0-0 at home to Burnley in midweek, and only Norwich (8) have scored fewer than their 12 league goals this campaign.
What’s next?
Wolves will be away to champions Manchester City in the Premier League next Saturday, while Liverpool travel to San Siro to face Milan in their final Champions League group game on Tuesday.
