Liverpool Player Ratings vs. Wolves: Wirtz Breaks Free from Goal Drought Nightmare

Florian Wirtz found the net for Liverpool as they secured a tense 2–1 victory over bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield in Premier League action.

Moving tributes were offered to former Liverpool and Wolves striker Diogo Jota ahead of the first encounter between his previous teams since his heartbreaking death in July, with fans from both sides standing to honor their beloved former player in the 20th minute.

Wolves managed to stifle their opponents for most of the first half, but the breakthrough came just before the interval. Rapid-fire strikes from Ryan Gravenberch and Wirtz dramatically shifted the match's momentum, giving Liverpool a comfortable two-goal advantage and providing their £116 million ($156.5 million) summer signing with a vital confidence lift.

Santiago Bueno scored from a corner kick early in the second half to establish a nervous finale for Liverpool as Wolves aimed to halt their 11-game losing streak, but the Reds nervously held on for three vital points and their fourth consecutive win across all competitions.

Liverpool Player Ratings vs. Wolves (4-2-3-1)

*Rating provided by FotMob*

GK: Alisson—7.2: Produced a superb stop leading up to Bueno's strike but couldn't prevent the Uruguayan from scoring. Confidently collected several weak attempts from Mateus Mané.

RB: Jeremie Frimpong—8.2: With Wolves defending deep, Frimpong enjoyed complete freedom on the right flank. Operated almost entirely in the attacking half, creating the first goal brilliantly and impressing with his consistent pace.

CB: Ibrahima Konaté—7.1: Lost an aerial duel to Tolu Arokodare as Wolves reduced Liverpool's advantage and struggled somewhat against the strong Nigerian forward.

CB: Virgil van Dijk—7.6: Seldom tested at the back, even when Wolves increased their intensity in the second period.

LB: Milos Kerkez—7.7: Consistently attacked down Liverpool's left flank as Wirtz moved centrally, but again struggled with his final delivery to become a genuine threat.

DM: Ryan Gravenberch—8.5: Increased his season tally to seven goal contributions with a crucial opener struck with accuracy and force from the penalty area. Remained solid defensively as Wolves gained momentum.

DM: Curtis Jones—8.4: Sought to control the tempo just outside Wolves' penalty area and effectively maintained possession. Also excelled defensively, recording 18 defensive actions.

RW: Federico Chiesa—6.6: Couldn't capitalize on his chance in his first Premier League start this season, showing good work rate but lacking quality on the right side.

AM: Alexis Mac Allister—7.4: More impactful in the attacking midfielder position than in recent matches, though failed to create much danger around the penalty box.

LW: Florian Wirtz—9.0: Clearly Liverpool's best performer, especially during the opening half. Nearly set up Hugo Ekitiké before calmly finishing for his debut Premier League goal, with his skill level earning admiration from the Anfield faithful throughout.

ST: Hugo Ekitiké—8.1: Another tireless performance from Ekitiké, who excelled in the attacking third. Hit the frame early on and delivered a spectacular pass for Wirtz's goal.

Subs not used: Freddie Woodman (GK), Giorgi Mamardashvili (GK), Andy Robertson, Calvin Ramsay, Wellity Lucky, Rio Ngumoha.

Wolverhampton Wanderers (3-4-2-1)

Starting XI: José Sá; Yerson Mosquera, Santiago Bueno, Ladislav Krejčí; Matt Doherty, João Gomes, André, Hugo Bueno; Mateus Mané, Hwang Hee-chan; Tolu Arokodare.

Subs used: Jørgen Strand Larsen, David Møller Wolfe, Jackson Tchatchoua, Jhon Arias.

Player of the Match: Florian Wirtz

Liverpool 2–1 Wolves: How It Developed at Anfield

During an emotionally-charged evening at Anfield, Liverpool created the better early opportunities. Ekitiké nearly added to his recent scoring run in the opening minutes as he struck the upright following Wirtz's brilliant through ball, though it was Wolves youngster Mané who registered the sole shot on target by the first half's midway point.

Liverpool found it difficult to break down their defensively-minded opponents for most of the opening period, with Arne Slot's attack weakened by the unavailability of Alexander Isak, Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai, but two strikes within minutes gave the Reds control.

Two Liverpool Dutchmen linked up for a well-crafted opener, with Jeremie Frimpong racing down the right before setting up Gravenberch, who drove past José Sá for his fourth Premier League strike this campaign. The Anfield faithful barely had time to settle before a welcome scorer extended their advantage.

After some brilliant work from Ekitiké, who smoothly beat his defender before delivering a perfect cross, Wirtz finally got off the mark for Liverpool. The German concluded an energetic first-half showing with his inaugural goal for the club, receiving Ekitiké's delivery and slotting past Sá from short range.

Liverpool's set-piece defensive frailties surfaced again just six minutes into the second half and Wolves capitalized to narrow the gap. Santiago Bueno converted the loose ball after Arokodare's header was saved by Alisson, unsettling the home crowd who have watched their team lose leads regularly this season.

Similar to their match against Tottenham Hotspur, anxiety crept in for Liverpool supporters after their lead was reduced, with errors appearing in the team's play. Wolves posed growing danger on quick breaks as their confidence increased, generating opportunities through Mané and Arokodare that weren't converted.

Liverpool created their own openings, with Wirtz, Alexis Mac Allister and Gravenberch all firing wide when given shooting chances, but ultimately had to preserve their slender lead. Conor Bradley's superb late challenge prevented a Wolves equalizer, as the Reds secured their third straight league win that moves them to fourth before Chelsea face Aston Villa later today.

Liverpool vs. Wolves Half-Time Stats

Liverpool vs. Wolves Full Time Stats