Arne Slot: 'Maybe this win is a bigger accomplishment than beating Spurs 4-0'
Despite the win against Wolves, Liverpool manager Arne Slot said his players "weren’t happy" after the game. Pic: Peter Byrne/PA Wire.
NORMAL service was resumed for Liverpool as Arne Slot’s side moved seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table but it was a close-run thing as struggling Wolves threatened to take points from Anfield.
First half goals from Luis Diaz and Mo Salah seemingly had Liverpool on course for a routine win until Matheus Cunha’s well-taken 67th minute goal ensured the sort of anxious finale Anfield has not really witnessed this season.
It was an extraordinary turnaround after the interval, the first second half, since statistical records began, that Liverpool have gone through at Anfield without producing a single shot.
In the first half, Liverpool had 20 touches in the Wolves box; after the break it was three. In that first period, there were 10 Liverpool shots, after the break, zero.
Perhaps a product of fatigue, perhaps the weight of competing on so many fronts or perhaps just the proverbial bad day at the office this was a rare off day for Liverpool and one which will have given their rivals a glimmer of hope in the championship race.
And had Tommy Doyle’s 88th minute cross, aimed at Marshall Munetsi, not been well defended by Jarell Quansah, it was a day which might have cost Liverpool two important points in their quest for the title.
“The boys came in and I felt they were a little bit down because this wasn’t our best performance,” said Slot.
“That tells you how well we have played this season, that they weren’t happy. But I said to them, maybe this win is a bigger accomplishment than beating Tottenham here 4-0 a couple of weeks ago.
“In a season, if you want to achieve something, you have to play good football - that’s the basis of success. But if you don’t have a strong mentality to achieve success, then you will never win anything.”
It had already, arguably, been the worst week of Slot’s Anfield career, one that still looks destined to end in silverware in his very first campaign.
Having badly misjudged his team selection and been dumped out of the FA Cup by struggling Plymouth a week ago, the Liverpool manager saw his team concede a late equaliser at Everton in midweek and was sent off in the stormy aftermath.
But Slot knew nothing less than victory would suffice here, with Saturday’s results having cut their lead at the top of the table to four points. And, after winning a corner within 13 seconds of kick-off, Liverpool set the tone for a strong first half display.
The opening goal after 15 minutes certainly left the visitors with a lot of work to do, even if Diaz’s finish was untidy and had a large element of luck involved following a transition sparked by Alexis Mac Allister and Diogo Jota.
Diaz switched the ball from left to right and Salah returned the compliment with a cross that deflected off Toti Gomes for the Liverpool striker to chest the ball into the net.
The goal involved some questionable keeping from Jose Sa and the Wolves number one was certainly to blame when he conceded the 37th minute penalty that looked to have put the game beyond his side,.
Diaz chased Mac Allister’s pass and had pushed the ball wide, and on its way out of play, by the time Sa went to ground and tripped the Liverpool man.
Salah, as good a penalty taker as there is plying that particular trade at present, thumped an unstoppable left-foot spot kick past Sa. It was also the Egyptian’s 23rd goal of the Premier League season, to go with the 14 assists he has compiled.
Wolves, two points above the relegation zone, had shown moments of promise, and Ibrahima Konate could have seen a second yellow card card late in the first half for a foul on Cunha, but not until the 49th minute, when he blocked Munetsi when clean through on his goal, did Alisson have a save to make.
Almost immediately, Liverpool thought they had the game wrapped up, with Salah finishing well but his effort being ruled out for offside, and, likewise, the hosts were awarded a 57th minute penalty, after contact on Jota by Emmanuel Agabdou, but VAR overturned the decision.
With Wolves sub Jean-Ricner Bellegarde exerting an increasing influence, Liverpool could have done with that extra cushion as the visitors enjoyed their best spell of the game.
Joao Gomes fired Liverpool a warning, with a curling shot over when he should have hit the target, but the leaders failed to heed the warning and conceded midway through the second half.
Bellegarde set up the chance with a back-heel to Cunha who took advantage of a rash attempted challenge by Ryan Gravenberch before scoring with a superb 20-yard finish into the far corner.
“In my opinion, we had too much respect for Liverpool in the first half,” said Wolves manager Vitor Pereira. “But I’m proud about what we did in the second half because we showed our quality, showed our personality. They showed to me that I can be confident in the future.”
Alisson 6; Alexander-Arnold 5 (Bradley 63, 5), Konate 7 (Quansah 46, 5), van Dijk 7, Robertson 5; Gravenberch 5, Mac Allister 6; Salah 7, Szoboszlai 6, Diaz 8 (Endo 71, 5); Jota 6 (Nunez 63, 5). Substitutes (not used) Chiesa, Elliott, Kelleher, McConnell, Tsimikas.
Sa 5; Doherty 7, Agbadou 6 (Bueno 46, 5), Toti 6; Semedo 6 (Lima 90), Andre 6, Joao Gomes 7 (Doyle 83), Ait-Nouri 7; Sarabia 5 (Munetsi 46, 5), Cunha 7; Guedes 5 (Bellegarde 46, 8). Substitutes (not used) Bentley, Djiga, Forbs, Traore.
S Hooper 6
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