Liverpool's record signing Florian Wirtz finally broke his goalscoring duck for the club, orchestrating a hard-fought 2-1 Premier League victory over bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield.
Wirtz Opens Account in Emotional Anfield Atmosphere
The match was played against a poignant backdrop, honouring former Liverpool and Wolves forward Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash in July. Two of Jota's children, Dinis and Duarte, joined the pre-match presentation, walking out with captains Virgil van Dijk and Wolves' Jose Sa, watched by their mother Rute from the touchline. Tributes echoed around the stadium in the 18th and 20th minutes, marking Jota's age and retired shirt number.
On the pitch, the £116million summer signing Florian Wirtz was the central figure. After being denied a first goal three weeks ago against Sunderland due to an own goal ruling, and registering his first assist last week, the 22-year-old German international delivered a complete performance. His moment arrived just 89 seconds after Liverpool's opener. Latching onto a return pass from striker Hugo Ekitike, Wirtz displayed trademark calmness, ghosting between centre-backs before slotting the ball under goalkeeper Jose Sa.
Gravenberch Opener and Nervy Finish
The Reds had taken the lead through Ryan Gravenberch, who finished a low drive after being set up by Jeremie Frimpong, a former teammate of Wirtz at Bayer Leverkusen. Gravenberch then broke out Jota's iconic crocodile goal celebration in a touching moment. Liverpool dominated the first half, with Alexis Mac Allister and Ekitike both hitting the post.
However, Wolves pulled a goal back seven minutes after half-time, exposing Liverpool's ongoing vulnerability from set-pieces. Ibrahima Konate was out-jumped by Tolu Arokodare, whose header was parried by Alisson Becker, allowing Hugo Bueno to convert the rebound. The goal transformed the atmosphere, making the closing stages far more uncomfortable for the hosts than their first-half dominance suggested.
Reds Hold On for Vital Three Points
Anfield grew increasingly nervous as Wolves, who have now failed to win in their opening 18 league matches, finished the stronger side. Arokodare sent another header over the bar, and only a perfectly-timed last-ditch tackle from Conor Bradley denied Jhon Arias a late equaliser. Despite the pressure, Liverpool held on to secure a third consecutive league victory, with Wirtz's all-round creative display, which included a sublime early through-ball for Ekitike and a drilled effort into the side-netting, proving decisive.
The win, though narrow, keeps Liverpool firmly in the upper echelons of the Premier League table, while Wolves' miserable run extends to 11 straight defeats.
