Our live stream ahead of Sunday’s Premier League match, Liverpool vs Wolves is now up, kicking off at 19.15pm
You can keep an eye on the commentary as it happens below, but first, we take a preview into the fixture, lineups, predictions and much more…
For the first time since being crowned champions, Liverpool will play in front of their own fans as 2,000 supporters return to Anfield for the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday night.
In their last Premier League outing, Liverpool dropped two points away from home thanks to Pascal Gross’ controversial injury-time penalty. Awarded after a VAR intervention, it gave Brighton a 1-1 draw against the champions.
Wolves however are coming into the game off the back of a 2-1 win away at Arsenal. Should they repeat that feat at Anfield then they would be become only the third team in Premier League history to beat the defending champions away from home in consecutive seasons, and they will consider this as good a chance as any with Liverpool potentially missing as many as 11 first-team players.
It is Wolves’ best start to a top-flight campaign since 1979-80, and in a season where many of the ‘big six’ have struggled, victory at Anfield may just raise hopes of a top-four push this term.
The two clubs last met in January, where Liverpool ran out 2-1 victors at the Molineux…
PRESS CONFERENCE:
Jurgen Klopp
On injuries…
“We will see [who is available]. Trent and Naby in team training today. Whatever we can do depends how it looks. Had some niggles after Ajax, see how they respond. Nobody [else] is coming back. Ox looks promising, ball work but we develop that in days and weeks
On Trent and Nabby…
“There’s a chance Naby and Trent are in the squad but if they can play, start and play 90 minutes I don’t know.”
On 5 substitutes latest…
“Nobody thought [5 subs] would go through. The facts were if we voted [last month] it would have gone through but it hasn’t happened since is a sign the shareholders see it different to their managers. Not a good sign. It shows they ignore player welfare.”
“We will not stop fighting for it as it’s the right thing to do. I got numbers from Scotland, they had 65% subs for load management 30% for tactical and 5% for injuries.”
“Sometimes you have to keep two subs because you cannot make early changes as you don’t know who goes down and you end up with 10 men. The PL is too strong [to do that]. It is just the right thing to do [to have 5 subs].”
On Southgate…
“All teams play every 3 days now so we will see. It will be a problem for Gareth Southgate at the Euros. Most of them have played so far 3 times a week, so Gareth will get what we can give him and that’s an FA problem. Scot Parker mentioned that in managers’ meeting.
“He said 3 subs helps them. It is only because we haven’t voted y’day it doesn’t make the problem go away. It’s about all the players and load management. Nothing else. Not for an advantage, for dealing with the covid problem in the best way. We cannot ignore it.”
On fans returning…
“I hope it will great for all of us. As a player I played in front of 2000 they were not always in a good mood. After that break I think our fans will be in the best shape. Doesn’t matter how many are there, it’s how big your influence is.”
On his first match as a fan…
“For sure I watched my local team often. Non-league. First pro game was Stuttgart as a little kid. My granny made me a jumper that looked like the kit. It was itchy but nicest jumper I ever had. Can’t remember the game, I was 5/6”
On the Premier League trophy being on show…
“In these kind of things I am not involved. I haven’t heard anything. We make the first step, first 2000 shouldn’t see it first. We will find a moment and a day when most of our fans can see it. They saw it already on TV but we will find moment.
On days off…
“[Tuesday] was great. We haven’t played since and I feel pretty good. Two days to prepare and that’s what we do. You saw it in games, days off for players are rare, we try to squeeze out what we can. I was really pleased about [Tuesday/Sunday]. But you knew that.”
On Wolves…
“When you play Wolves they play like a top team. Especially last year with the Europa League they dealt with that. Promoted a year before that so outstanding. Nuno is doing an exceptional job, top recruitment, top players from Portugal. Changes systems slightly. Let’s play”
On life without fans…
“Everything has been more difficult without the fans. From a specific moment we didn’t think about it because we couldn’t change it. We don’t go on a bad pitch and think about it, you have to deal with it. It’s nice for the people Congrats to the 2,000 who can come.”
“If gives us a chance to show we can deal with it and show in the future we can get more in, but that’s nothing for us. We have to deal with the circumstances. Football is more difficult without fans and not half as enjoyable. But still football.”
On Henderson…
“Hendo will be fine in life after football. He’s just a smart and thoughtful person. Caring person and a leader as well. We saw this with some players in the summer, they found solutions and he was the voice of it. Hendo probably one you hear loudest”
“It’s not our young kids don’t know how they should behave because they see it every day. These boys train like they haven’t before, like the first session and that makes it easier. For a young lad, important you get feedback on the pitch [from likes of Henderson].”
Nuno Espirito Santo
On Raul Jimenez…
“He’s recovering well with his family, but we know that it’s a serious situation.
“He had surgery, now he’s recovering well and he’s still in observation, then soon he will be back home.
“We are not allowed to visit him, but in this moment, what Raul needs is the comfort and the love of his family.”
On Jimenez’s recovery…
“It’s too early and not even the moment to think about [him returning]. Now is the moment to leave the situations to the doctors and for him to be relaxed, follow the directions of the doctors and deal with the situation in the comfort of his loved ones.
“We need to let him be and recover well, back to his normal life, and then we will have time to spend together and speak.
“But we really miss him. We were worried about the situation, but now we are positive.”
On the reaction from his players…
“Everything goes through your mind because you see someone who you really love and appreciate in a tough situation.
“What you feel is that you are sad, you are worried, first of all, because we love Raul. We all love Raul, he means so much to us, and it’s like when a member of the family gets ill.
“It was very serious and everybody was afraid of the situation, everybody was worried, but as the days go by, hearing the positive news, knowing that he is really being taken care of, we’ve been able to return to a normal situation and dealing with it how we should do.
“Now we have to stick together, prepare well and compete, knowing that he’s going to be there for us. But our thoughts and prayers go out to Raul and we will keep giving him time to return safely to the group again.”
On his team moving on…
“Everybody saw [what happened]. Everybody on the pitch was affected by the situation, but after that, what we normally do is deal with the situation.
“We have people here in the club, ourselves as a group, we support each other and realise that can happen.”
On filling the void left by Raul…
“It’s a chance for all the squad, knowing that we don’t have someone who is really important for us, someone who has been within the starting 11 so many times.
“I don’t recall a game that Raul was not in the team, so it’s a chance for all of us to raise our standards and create solutions for the team.”
FORM:
Liverpool Premier League form: DWWDWD
Liverpool form (all competitions): WDWLDW
Wolverhampton Wanderers Premier League form: WDWLDW
LINEUPS:
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Kelleher; N Williams, Fabinho, Matip, Robertson; Henderson, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane; Jota
Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Patricio; Semedo, Boly, Coady, Marcal; Dendoncker, Moutinho; Traore, Podence, Neto; Silva
THATSAGOAL TIP:
Double Chance – Wolves/Draw – 6/4 with FanTeam
Liverpool’s home record is undeniably amazing but the Reds are suffering from a series of key injuries. They swept Leicester aside but have since drawn with Brighton and lost to Atalanta.
Wolves have a solid record against the traditional top six but will be without Raul Jimenez for this one. They coped admirably well against Arsenal, scoring twice, and have every chance of breaching this makeshift Liverpool defence.
Time to take a look at our Liverpool vs Wolves live match stream as it happens…
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