Mohamed Salah (C) celebrates scoring the opening goal during the
English Premier League football match between Liverpool and
Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield in Liverpool, north-west England
on December 6, 2020. Jon Super / POOL / AFP
Liverpool celebrated their first appearance in front of
their fans as English champions on Sunday by humbling Wolves 4-0 to
join Tottenham at the top of the Premier League table.
Mohamed Salah capitalised on an error by Wolves captain Conor
Coady to open the scoring midway through the first half as 2,000
supporters celebrated joyously.
Georginio Wijnaldum doubled Liverpool’s lead with a wonderful
curled finish from distance shortly before the hour mark and Joel
Matip put the game beyond Wolves before a late own goal added gloss
to the scoreline.
The comfortable win took Jurgen Klopp’s men to 24 points —
behind leaders Spurs on goal difference, with a summit meeting
between the two teams on December 16.
READ ALSO: Son Shines As Tottenham Bash North London
Rivals Arsenal
The visitors started brightly and Ruben Neves hit the roof of
the net with an early free-kick.
The lively Sadio Mane had a chance to put Liverpool in front in
the 12th minute from an Andy Robertson cross from the left but the
Senegal forward could not keep his header on target.
Mohamed Salah (L) scores the opening goal during the English
Premier League football match between Liverpool and Wolverhampton
Wanderers at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on December
6, 2020. PETER POWELL / POOL / AFP
Both teams looked sharp on the break and stand-in Liverpool
goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher was forced to scramble to his right to
keep out a cute chipped effort from Daniel Podence.
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
But the 2,000 home fans inside Anfield — allowed into the
stadium after coronavirus restrictions were eased in certain parts
of England — had something to cheer in the 24th minute.
There did not appear to be much danger when Liverpool captain
Jordan Henderson sent a long ball over the top into the Wolves
penalty area.
But Coady, who used to be on Liverpool’s books, got his
calculations wrong. The ball came off his chest and Salah nipped in
to fire home left-footed.
Wolves were awarded a penalty in the dying minutes of the first
half after Mane was adjudged to have fouled Coady.
But VAR ruled out the spot-kick after the TV replay showed there
had been no contact.
Wolves searched for a way back into the match in the early
stages of the second half and Coady found himself in a threatening
position in the Liverpool box before Fabinho whipped the ball
away.
Seconds later, Liverpool were charging forward again on the
counter-attack, towards the Kop.
Henderson played a long ball which Wijnaldum collected before
producing a measured finish into the top left-hand corner of Rui
Patricio’s net.
Liverpool put the result beyond doubt in the 67th minute when
Salah’s inswinging cross was met by Joel Matip from close
range.
By now the home side were in total control, with Salah trying to
dance his way through Wolves defenders.
Liverpool’s fourth goal came when substitute Trent
Alexander-Arnold, returning from injury, produced a delicious cross
from the right which was turned in by Nelson Semedo for an own
goal.
AFP