Liverpool 2-0 Wolves: Player ratings as Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah give Reds much-needed win in race for top four

Liverpool were made to work for their 2-0 win against Wolves before Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah stepped up late on.

Liverpool got the better of Wolves on a wet night at Anfield, eventually beating their familiar opponent 2-0 thanks to second-half goals from Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.

It was the fourth meeting between the two sides in the last two months, having also met twice in the third round of the FA Cup and also at Molineux in the Premier League.

That familiarity might explain why it was such a tight game for the first three quarters, with neither team able to create much of a presence before Van Dijk’s header 17 minutes from time.

Salah gave his side some breathing room four minutes later as Liverpool moved up to sixth in the table as they chase the top four and Champions League qualification.

It was the visitors who had the first chance when Joao Moutinho forced Alisson into an early save down the right with an effort from outside the box.

Organized Wolves kept Liverpool at bay for most of the first half, although Harvey Elliott should have put the visitors ahead in the 40th minute.

Elliott headed home from close range past Darwin Nunez on the left before Jose Sa denied him again just before the break after Nunez passed him on the edge of the box.

Liverpool thought they had taken the lead just after the hour mark when Diogo Jota’s incisive run gave Nunez the chance to slot a loose ball into the net, but referee Paul Tierney ruled that Jota had fouled a Wolves defender after sending him to the monitor. VAR.

However, Jurgen Klopp’s men took the lead in the 73rd minute when Van Dijk headed Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick off his shoulder, with Sa saving well on the right, but Jota pulled it back and the Dutch defender was able to head home. .

It was two shortly after when Kostas Tsimikas and substitute Cody Gakpo played a 1-2, allowing the Greek left-back to race forward to give Salah a simple tap-in and Liverpool three valuable points.

Liverpool player ratings