Wolves welcome Liverpool to Molineux this weekend as they search for their first Premier League win of the season.
It’s early days, but Gary O’Neil‘s men look to be in for a tough campaign battling at the bottom of the table.
Wolves are struggling near the foot of the tableGetty
The Old Gold have just one point from their first five matches and are out of the Carabao Cup, so the last thing they need is a visit from Liverpool.
The Reds arrive at Molineux with 12 points from 15, having won both of their away matches without conceding a goal.
The transition from Jurgen Klopp to Arne Slot has been remarkably smooth and while the aim for Liverpool is top four, a title challenge can’t be ruled out.
Wolves vs Liverpool: Nunez or Jota?
Diogo Jota started the season as Slot’s number one striker, with the Portuguese international scoring in the win over Ipswich.
However, he has failed to find the back of the net in the Premier League since.
As a result, Darwin Nunez got his chance from the start in the victory over Bournemouth and delivered a great display that included a stunning goal.
Jota then started in midweek against West Ham in the Carabao Cup and bagged twice as the Reds thrashed the Hammers 5-1.
So, Slot now has a difficult decision to make regarding who starts in the number nine role.
Jota got back on the goal trail in midweekGetty
Wolves have lost more Premier League games against Liverpool than they have vs any other opponent (16). They’ve lost 14 of their last 15 against the Reds in the league, with the exception being a 3-0 home win in February 2023.
Liverpool have kept a clean sheet in 65% of their Premier League games against Wolves (13/20), the second-highest rate of any side to have faced another 20+ times in the competition, after Chelsea against Middlesbrough (67% – 20/30).
Wolves remain without a league win so far this season (D1 L4) – only in 2003-04 (first seven) and 2019-20 (first six) have they gone longer without victory from the start of a Premier League campaign.
Wolves vs Liverpool: Date and how to follow
This Premier League game is set to take place on Saturday, September 28.
Kick-off at Molineux is scheduled for 5:30pm.
The match will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event and Premier League.
Sky Go customers will be able to stream the action through their laptops and mobile devices.
Alternatively, fans can purchase a NOW TV pass.
talkSPORT will have updates throughout the afternoon, and talkSPORT.com will have the action on our dedicated Premier League blog.
To tune in to talkSPORT through the website, click HERE for the live stream.
You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
It’s been a great start for Slot at AnfieldAFP
Liverpool have won five of their last six Premier League games (L1), keeping a clean sheet in each victory. The Reds had conceded in each of their previous 10 games before this run (16 goals conceded in total).
No current Premier League side is on a longer run without a clean sheet than Wolves, who have conceded in each of their last 17 top-flight matches (same as Southampton). It’s Wolves’ longest run without a shutout in the competition since a run of 30 in 2011-12.
Wolves have lost their last two Premier League games despite having led at half-time in each (1-2 v Newcastle, 1-3 v Aston Villa). No team in Premier League history has lost three consecutive matches having been ahead at the break each time.
Wolves vs Liverpool: Team news and predicted line-ups
The hosts have a lot of problems in defence, with Yerson Mosquera out for the season and Toti Gomes also injured.
This leaves Wolves with just two fit centre-backs, Santiago Bueno and Craig Dawson, so they will partner each other.
Elsewhere, Sam Johnstone, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Joao Gomes, Mario Lemina and Matheus Cunha should all start.
At right-back, Matt Doherty might get the nod due to his experience.
Alongside Lemina and Gomes in midfield, new signing Andre will most likely slot in.
Cunha will operate in a wide role, with Jorgen Strand Larsen leading the line and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde on the other side.
Wolves are very short in defence
Meanwhile, Liverpool are definitely without Harvey Elliott due to a fractured foot, while Alisson Becker is doubtful with a muscle problem.
That means Caoimhin Kelleher is likely to start in goal, while Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah are almost certain to start.
This leaves only a few positions open, with Kostas Tsimikas and Andy Robertson competing at left-back, but the Scotsman should get the nod.
The other issue is who leads the line and Slot has a difficult choice but after his double in the cup, Jota will most likely start at Molineux.
Slot has quickly found a settled starting XI
Liverpool have conceded the fewest goals of any Premier League side so far this season (1), while no team has shipped more than Wolves (14). Indeed, Wolves’ 14 goals conceded is their most after five games of any league season since 1985-86 (14 in third tier), and most in the top-flight since 1970-71 (14).
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s assist against Bournemouth last time out was his 59th in the Premier League, moving him one ahead of Steve McManaman as the outright third most for Liverpool in the competition. It also moved him level with teammate Andrew Robertson for most assists by a defender in the competition’s history.
Since the start of last season, Matheus Cunha has been involved in more Premier League goals for Wolves than any other player (21 – 14 goals, 7 assists). Eight of his last 13 goals for the club have either put them ahead (2) or drawn them level (6) in the match.
Liverpool’s Luis Díaz has been involved in six goals in his last four Premier League appearances, scoring five and assisting one. He’s scored a brace in two of his last three for the Reds, having netted multiple goals in just one of his first 69 Premier League games.
Wolves vs Liverpool: What has been said?
After switching the squad around against West Ham, Slot praised the quality of his team and hailed the number of options he has.
He said: “I think you all knew and that’s also what we showed in the last weeks and today again that we have many quality players.
“What pleased me most was that even if a lot of new players come in they don’t come in and try to have a good individual performance.
“They try to work really hard for the team.
“There was a lot of desire not to concede, and as a result of that, we had some good individual performances as well.”
