Liverpool Veterans Shine as Reds Storm Into FA Cup Quarterfinals Against Wolves

Liverpool only had to wait three days for payback, easily beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–1 to secure their spot in the FA Cup quarterfinals.

Following a lackluster and quiet opening half, Liverpool came alive and controlled the remaining 45 minutes, beginning with a brilliant goal from Andrew Robertson that sparked their victory. Mohamed Salah netted the Reds' second just two minutes afterward and Curtis Jones added a third before Hwang Hee-chan found a consolation strike for the home team.

Arne Slot's team recovered from a sluggish beginning and responded to make up for their disappointing display at Molineux on Tuesday. While their Premier League title chase may be finished, the FA Cup now represents Liverpool's best opportunity to claim silverware in 2025–26.

The Moment That Defined The Match

The Moment That Defined The Match

Liverpool had been worryingly uninspired going forward and, while they never appeared at risk of conceding, they were extremely disappointing during the first 50 minutes of the match. Everything changed when Robertson chose to take control himself.

The experienced fullback netted a goal that completely ignored the disappointing narrative of the game until that moment. An incredible strike from range thanks to the Scotsman's gifted left foot nestled into the bottom corner and opened up the match for the away side.

Wolves were rattled after the opening goal and lost their composure, enabling the Reds to deliver the decisive blow two minutes later, when Robertson exploited a suddenly disorganized defense to deliver a cross for Mohamed Salah to make it 2-0.

It's evident that Wolves' strategy was maintaining a clean sheet and eventually capitalizing on either a set piece, counter attack or a potential penalty shootout. Their approach was functioning perfectly for 50 minutes, but Robertson's thunderous strike destroyed it all, and before the hosts could regroup, they had already allowed a second goal which made the game unreachable.

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

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

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Alisson—6.8: Shouting instructions and making simple passes was all Alisson needed to do for most of the evening, as his goalkeeping skills were seldom tested.

RB: Dominik Szoboszlai—8.3: Yet another Liverpool match, yet another excellent Szoboszlai display. He excelled in every aspect until he miscalculated a ball that resulted in Wolves' consolation goal. Apart from that, he was perfect.

CB: Joe Gomez—6.9: Completed his duties effortlessly in what must have been a very pleasant evening where he faced minimal pressure.

CB: Virgil van Dijk—7.5: Provided assurance at the back and delivered several excellent forward passes from deep positions. Completely neutralized Tolu Arokodare when needed.

LB: Andrew Robertson—8.9: A classic display from the iconic left back who appeared motivated from kickoff and finished with a goal and assist contribution.

DM: Ryan Gravenberch—7.8: Frequently held onto the ball too long before passing, slowing Liverpool's attacks and allowing Wolves time to reorganize their defensive shape. Showed significant improvement after halftime.

DM: Alexis Mac Allister—7.1: Not the most impressive outing from the Argentine who continuously circulated possession throughout the game until departing after sustaining an ankle injury.

RW: Mohamed Salah—7.5: Completely absent during the first half but emerged in the second. Played a crucial role in Robertson's opener and then timed his movement perfectly to convert his team's second goal.

AM: Curtis Jones—8.8: Appeared uncomfortable playing in such an advanced position during the first half but improved after the break. He'll receive an assist for the opener and then produced an excellent finish for Liverpool's third.

LW: Rio Ngumoha—7.3: The most effective Liverpool attacker during the opening half by far. He almost scored a spectacular goal early on and consistently looked dangerous with the ball. An encouraging performance from the youngster.

ST: Cody Gakpo—7.1: This time positioned as the central striker, Gakpo once more struggled to make any meaningful attacking contribution. In his clearest opportunity, he struck a header against the post, though from an offside position.

SUB: Jeremie Frimpong (69' for Salah)—6.1: Lost possession on two of his five pass attempts after entering the game. Insufficient time to make a notable impact with the result already settled.

SUB: Florian Wirtz (69' for Ngumoha)—6.6: Made little impression during his brief appearance but his comeback after missing the previous three matches is excellent news for Slot's team.

SUB: Ibrahima Konaté (81' for Van Dijk)—N/A

SUB: Trey Nyoni (82' for Mac Allister)—N/A

SUB: Kieran Morrison (86' for Gakpo)—N/A

Subs not used: Giorgi Mamardashvili (GK), Milos Kerkez, Federico Chiesa, Hugo Ekitike.

What The Ratings Tell Us

What The Ratings Tell Us

The Numbers That Explain Liverpool's Dominant Second Half

The Numbers That Explain Liverpool's Dominant Second Half