Harvey Elliott’s sensible long-range effort within the first half at Molineux secured a much-needed first victory in 4 video games in all competitions.
Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott (left) scores in opposition to Wolverhampton Wanderers of their FA Cup replay on 17 January 2023. Liverpool received 1-0. Picture: @LFC/Twitter
LONDON – Jurgen Klopp stated he acquired the response he wished after Harvey Elliott’s elegant strike put troubled Liverpool again on observe with a 1-0 win at Wolves in Tuesday’s FA Cup third-round replay.
Klopp’s facet got here in for scathing criticism after shedding their final two Premier League video games in desultory style at Brighton and Brentford.
But Elliott’s sensible long-range effort within the first half at Molineux secured a much-needed first victory in 4 video games in all competitions.
Ironically, Liverpool’s reward for seeing off Wolves is a return journey to Brighton within the fourth round.
The Reds’ dismal 3-0 defeat at Brighton on Saturday left them languishing in ninth place within the Premier League, 10 factors adrift of the highest 4.
“It feels like ages ago that we had that feeling that we win and play well,” Klopp stated.
“We played a really good first half and in the end it was just passion to block the shots. It’s the reaction we wanted to see from ourselves and the boys delivered.
“The purpose was distinctive. I do not need to make Harvey’s efficiency smaller, however I had just a few males of the match at the moment, simply the others did not rating.”
In the bout of soul-searching that followed that embarrassment, Klopp said his struggling team needed to go “again to fundamentals”.
Amid mounting questions on Klopp’s personal future at Anfield, the German claimed this week that he won’t go away the membership except he’s pressured to and hinted at adjustments in his squad in the course of the summer season.
Hamstrung by accidents to a bunch of key gamers together with Virgil van Dijk and Luis Diaz, Klopp made eight adjustments after the Brighton debacle, with solely Cody Gakpo, Thiago Alcantara and Ibrahima Konate retaining their locations.
Mohamed Salah and Alisson Becker have been amongst these overlooked, however Liverpool’s understudies rose to the problem.
Wolves had pressured the replay with a 2-2 draw at Anfield, however Julen Lopetegui’s facet have been angered after they had a possible profitable purpose from Toti controversially dominated out for offside within the closing seconds.
They have been unable to take their probability to avenge that injustice regardless of a full of life begin that noticed Adama Traore’s cross headed simply broad by Raul Jimenez.
It was Eliott who produced the opener in breathtaking style within the thirteenth minute.
Klopp’s midfield has been written off as ageing and previous their finest this season.
But the 19-year-old Elliott gives hope for the longer term, some extent he underlined by working unchecked from the midway line earlier than blasting an outstanding strike over Jose Sa from 25 yards.
TENACIOUS LIVERPOOL
Sa was caught too far off his line however that ought to not detract from the standard of Elliott’s first purpose since October.
Snapping into tackles and profitable second balls, Liverpool have been displaying extra starvation and tenacity than in current weeks.
Gakpo was nonetheless looking for his first Liverpool purpose in his third look since signing from PSV Eindhoven.
The Netherlands ahead almost broke his duck with a dipping volley that flashed simply over.
Gakpo was changed by Salah for the final 25 minutes, but it surely was Wolves who completed strongly with Ruben Neves’ free-kick narrowly clearing the crossbar.
Wolves’ finest probability to attract degree got here when Jimenez could not head dwelling on the goalline from Traore’s cross as Joe Gomez acquired the essential block.
Elsewhere, Championship facet Birmingham survived a scare of their 2-1 win at third-tier Forest Green.
In a delayed third-round conflict after the unique tie was postponed as a result of a waterlogged pitch, Ben Stevenson’s sensible long-range strike put Forest Green forward after eight minutes.
But Lukas Jutkiewicz grabbed Birmingham’s equaliser within the fiftieth minute and Kevin Long killed off League One’s backside membership quarter-hour later.
Bristol City received 2-1 at Swansea, whereas Luton beat Wigan 2-1 and West Brom thrashed Chesterfield 4-0.