Wolves 0 Liverpool 1: Origi scores dramatic last-minute winner as Reds capitalise on Chelsea slip-up
SUPERSUB Divock Origi sent Liverpool to the top of the Premier League with a dramatic stoppage time winner that broke Wolves hearts.
It looked like being a day of pure frustration for Jurgen Klopp’s side against a determined Wolves defence.
A wonder stop from Wolves skipper Conor Coady looked set to stop Liverpool’s charge to top spot.
Coady may not be a goalkeeper – but this was a candidate for save of the season.
Diogo Jota looked certain to put Liverpool ahead on the hour against his former club – and on his 25th birthday.
But Coady was in no mood to hand out any gifts.
A mix up between Romain Saiss and keeper Jose Sa gave Jota clear run through on goal.
But somehow, Liverpool fan Coady stood firm on the line and blocked his former team-mate’s shot.
And Sa made up for his moment of madness with four minutes left as he saved superbly from Mohamed Salah’s close range effort.
Liverpool looked as though they would fail to score in a game for the first time since April – that was against Real Madrid.
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Klopp’s side also seemed set to miss out on the chance to take advantage of Chelsea’s defeat at West Ham.
But Liverpool salvaged all three points thanks to Origi who had come on just 22 minutes earlier.
A superb pass from Virgil van Dijk found Mo Salah and he set up Origi who turned in the box and fired home the winner.
It left Wolves crestfallen after a game where they appeared to have done enough to earn a point.
Wolves went into the game with some trepidation after two scoreless games in succession and a real question mark over their ability to find the net.
And facing up to a Liverpool side which had scored four goals in each of their previous three Premier League games, Wolves did not appear to be in the best of form.
On the flip side, Wolves had kept three clean sheets in a row, so something had to give.
Klopp named an unchanged side for the game with a dead rubber of a Champions League tie against Milan coming up in midweek.
But Wolves welcomed back Ruben Neves in midfield with Joao Moutinho making way after the frustrating midweek draw with Burnley.
Jota returned to the club he left 15 months ago, and was booed by sections of the Molineux crowd.
It was cagey stuff in the early stages with Adama Traore once again showing he is just about the quickest player in the top flight – the Spaniard is said to be on Liverpool’s wish list with talks over a new Molineux contract ongoing.
Defender Max Kilman stood out in the opening 20 minutes as his growing reputation as a defender continued.
Wolves fans chanted: ‘Kilman for England’ to underline the fact that Gareth Southgate should give the player his International breakthrough.
Liverpool began to look like they could unpick the Wolves defence but when a ball from Thiago found Trent Alexander-Arnold his first time shot flew over the bar.
Moments later, Alexander-Arnold crossed for Jota at the far post but he headed wide from close range.
But Liverpool must have been wondering how they did not take the lead after 35 minutes.
Jota fed Andy Robertson and he put the ball across the face of the Wolves goal where Salah was waiting – but Roman Saiss got a crucial touch to stop the Premier League’s top scorer netting from close range.
Wolves may have got away with it there, but the downside for them was that Coady went down in the six yard box while trying to deal with the danger.
Alexander-Arnold was preparing to pull the ball back into the danger area but kicked the ball out so that Coady could have treatment in the six yard box.
But Coady was able to carry on although he was clearly in discomfort.
Wolves did not manage a shot in the first half and only briefly did anything to get the home fans on their feet.
Just before the break, Rayan Ait-Nouri delivered a cross which was collected by Alisson despite pressure from Traore.
Ait-Nouri then managed to create space on the left but badly sliced his shot across the 18 yard box.
Traore began the second half by pressuring Van Dijk into a mistake but Wolves could not capitalise on it.
The Wolves strongman had all the presence of a champion boxer as he bossed his way around the park with his sheer physical strength.
But then a less than fit Coady provided the moment of the match.
Sa had a rush of blood to the head as he rushed out of his area.
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It left Jota free to run in for what looked like the opening goal – but Coady watched him all the way and somehow managed to block the shot on the line.
Jota was left as stunned as everyone else in the ground and it lifted Wolves briefly.
But their hearts were eventually broken in injury time when Origi popped up with a priceless winner to take Liverpool above Chelsea.
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