Liverpool need to cease their poor run of outcomes on Saturday lunchtime, however Wolves might pose a risk, particularly if final season is something to go by.
After practically a two-week break, the Reds are again in Premier League motion this weekend, making the journey to Molineux, the place they misplaced 3-0 again in February.
This seems to be like a distinct Liverpool staff, nevertheless, having picked up 10 factors from their opening 4 matches in 2023/24, and they are going to be favourites to prevail on Saturday.
Wolves have already misplaced 3 times, together with a 4-1 hammering at dwelling to Brighton, as supervisor Gary O’Neil continues to regulate to his new environment.
Forward of kickoff, we had a chat with Sam Prepare dinner from the Wolves 77 Membership Podcast (@77ClubPodcast) to debate Wanderers’ key males, the important thing battles and extra.
Wolves have one win and three defeats to their title – how optimistic are you?
I feel there are two methods of taking a look at this.
I’m not wholly optimistic that Wolves will play sensible soccer all season, nor that we’ll even common a objective a sport, having solely scored 38 league objectives in 2021/22 and 31 in 2022/23.
That being mentioned, I’m optimistic that we’ll be fantastic, primarily based on the truth that there are three or 4 sides within the league which can be worse than us this marketing campaign.
I’d snap your hand off for seventeenth place, and something greater than that might not solely be a bonus, however an enormous achievement for Gary O’Neil who, to place it bluntly, has inherited a horrible state of affairs.
Who’re Wolves’ key gamers this season?
This one is simple, as all our earlier key gamers are not right here!
Final season’s prime goalscorer, Daniel Podence, has gone – six objectives in case you had been questioning! – together with Ruben Neves, Matheus Nunes, Joao Moutinho, Conor Coady, Raul Jimenez, Nathan Collins and Adama Traore.
It’s one hell of a void.
Gamers who had been key to survival final yr are Craig Dawson and Mario Lemina, and I feel the latter would be the distinction this time round.
Are you assured that O’Neil is the correct man for the job?
I’ve mentioned that I’d take survival, and O’Neil managed that final yr with Bournemouth in tough circumstances.
Is he my first selection? No. However he’s right here and I’ll again him. I’m nonetheless baffled by the coup of getting Julen Lopetegui after which messing it up as badly as they did.
He was reportedly on £8 million a yr – he admittedly made an ‘honourable gesture’ to scale back his settlement when he left – but when it’s funds that had been the issue, I wouldn’t be spending lord is aware of what to ship the supervisor and his hefty backroom employees off.
It additionally exhibits that contracts aren’t well worth the paper they’re written on for membership house owners. We noticed that with Nunes and his compelled transfer to Man Metropolis.
What’s one factor you’d change at Wolves presently?
It’s a bit late, however I’d have tried to make a little bit extra use of the home mortgage market.
The house owners spent huge over the previous couple of home windows and the transfers didn’t actually work out. I don’t blame them for tightening the purse strings this time round.
Away from Wanderers, which staff will shock us in 2023/24?
It’s trying like Tottenham in the intervening time, however there’s all the time a staff that stands out, principally because of lack of expectations.
I feel Fulham could also be darkish horses this time round, and who is aware of, if they will wind again the clock to the instances of “GOAL JIMENEZ, ASSIST TRAORE” then they are going to be laughing.
That feels extremely unlikely, however you by no means know.
Which Liverpool participant would you most need at Molineux presently?
See above objectives report – any striker please.
I’m an enormous fan of Luis Diaz – he’s a piece horse, can end, has tempo and is strictly what we’re lacking.
What’s it like visiting Anfield as an away fan, forward of the journey there later this season?
I just like the stadium, it’s iconic. I’m an enormous fan of how they’ve developed it over time, too, and there are some very intelligent architectural achievements there.
There will not be nice reminiscences as a Wolves fan although – we have now to return to 2010 to once we final gained there within the Premier League.
The nightlife is respectable, although – apparently the Beatles are from Liverpool, however you don’t actually go on about it!
Specializing in Saturday’s sport, the place will the important thing battles happen?
I think about will probably be defence vs. assault, despite the fact that we smashed you 3-0 final time. Actually no one noticed that coming!
Mo Salah vs. Hugo Bueno will probably be fascinating, however Lemina vs. Alexis Mac Allister will probably be the place the sport is misplaced or gained for both facet, in my view.
Lastly, what’s your prediction?
Wolves 1-3 Liverpool.
I haven’t seen sufficient of our new signings but to provide me any hope of scoring multiple in a sport, and the Reds take their possibilities.
