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Peter Byrne
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Liverpool v Wolves, FA Cup fourth round

The Championship strugglers caused a major shock at Anfield.

Good afternoon and welcome to the first FA Cup tie of the day as Liverpool host Championship outfit Wolves.

Jurgen Klopp has made nine changes for Liverpool, with youth once again given the chance to impress.

Only Karius and Firmino start from Wednesday’s EFL Cup loss to Southampton.

Liverpool: Karius, Randall, Gomez, Klavan, Moreno; Ejaria, Lucas, Wijnaldum; Firmino, Origi, Woodburn.

Subs: Milner, Coutinho, Sturridge, Mignolet, Can, Stewart, Wilson. 

Former Ireland U21 international Matt Doherty starts for Wolves, with Irish pair Connor Ronan and Joe Mason on the bench.

Paul Lambert’s side is without first-choice goalkeeper Ikeme, who is banned after being sent off against Norwich, with inexperienced Burgoyne between the sticks.

Wolves: Burgoyne, Coady, Stearman, Hause, Doherty, Edwards, Evans, Helder Costa, Saville, Weimann, Dicko.

Subs: White, Batth, Mason, Lonergan, Bodvarsson, Enobakhare, Ronan.

The game is live on BT Sport 2.

This man will be here to greet you if you decide to tune in.

Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Emirates FA Cup - Anfield Peter Byrne Peter Byrne

Atmosphere is building around the stadium. Liverpool will be looking for a morale-boosting win today.

Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Emirates FA Cup - Anfield Peter Byrne Peter Byrne

 

Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Emirates FA Cup - Anfield Peter Byrne Peter Byrne

It has been somewhat of a dry January in terms of wins for Liverpool. The Reds have managed just one win from seven matches this month, which came against Plymouth in the third round replay.

Next up for Liverpool after today is Chelsea in the Premier League on Tuesday evening.

Wolves currently sit in 18th place in the Championship – seven points above the drop zone – but have shown some positive signs since Paul Lambert took over the reins late last year.

 

 

Here we go! Liverpool get the game under way!

GOAL! Liverpool 0-1 Wolves (Stearman 1′)

Wolves win a free-kick in Liverpool’s half in the first meaningful piece of action of the game.

Costa then curls in a perfectly-floated cross which is met by Stearman at the far post, who heads in his first goal of the season.

What a start!

Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Emirates FA Cup - Anfield Peter Byrne Peter Byrne

Wolves have another free-kick on the edge of the Liverpool area this time.

Doherty’s attempt is blocked by the wall, the ball eventually falls to Dicko in the box but poor control sees the chance go astray.

WHAT A RUN! From a Liverpool corner, Wolves break – but more specifically it is Costa – who runs 70 yards beating three covering defenders, but the forward can’t make clean contact with the ball and drags his shot wide.

If that had gone in the away fans would have been talking about that for a very long time.

He has been sensational in the opening 15 minutes.

OVER! The ball falls to Lucas on the edge of the area, but the Brazilian hits it all wrong with his attempt soaring over the crossbar.

The home side monopolising the ball at the moment with 86% possession, but they have yet to hit the target.

It’s just not clicking for Liverpool at the moment, a searching ball from Moreno looking for Origi, goes straight to the Wolves goalkeeper, Burgoyne.

WIDE! Evans decides to try his luck from distance, but the swerve on the ball takes it well wide of the Liverpool goal.

WARNING! Weimann, who is on loan from Derby, makes a good run into the box, however his cross is easily gathered by Karius.

BOOKING! A silly yellow card to pick up from a Wolves perspective as goalscorer Stearman needlessly drags down Wijnaldum.

PENALTY? A good one-two played by Ejaria sets the midfielder free in the box, but Stearman shows his physical strength to push him off the ball. No penalty says referee Pawson.

A loss here would just cap off a miserable week for the Reds.

Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Emirates FA Cup - Anfield Peter Byrne Peter Byrne

Chance for Liverpool to catch Wolves on the break as a short corner goes completely wrong for the visitors, but Moreno’s ball fails to find the on-rushing Origi on the halfway line.

Five minutes until the break and the Liverpool fans are not happy at the moment, next goal will be vital in this game.

GOAL! Liverpool 0-2 Wolves (Weimann 41′)

Who would have believed this – Wolves double their lead at Anfield!

And again it is that man Costa who is heavily involved in a picture perfect goal.

Wolves catch Liverpool on the counter with a positive run by Costa who skips past Moreno’s last-gasp challenge, the Portuguese youth international finds Weimann in the box, who touches the ball past Karius before knocking the ball into the empty net.

The away fans are in dreamland.

Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Emirates FA Cup - Anfield Peter Byrne Peter Byrne

Two minutes of stoppage time at the end of the half.

HT: Liverpool 0-2 Wolves 

Boos ring around Anfield as the half-time whistle blows. Wolves are showing plenty of bite so far, expect changes at the break from Klopp.

As expected Klopp makes a half-time change with Coutinho taking the place of defender Randall.

The second-half has just started at Anfield. A big 45 minutes for Liverpool.

Liverpool have gone to three at the back after that change – it looks like a 3-5-2 formation at the moment.

YELLOW CARD! Hause drags down Origi, who showed too much pace for the young English defender.

WIDE! Firmino’s goal-bound header is inadvertently deflected wide by Klavan.

BOOKING! Liverpool pick up their first card of the day as Wijnaldum is shown yellow for pulling back Costa.

Via BT Sport, these stats are quite startling:

BT Sport

CHANCE! Liverpool starting to pile the pressure on Wolves at the moment as Firmino gets behind the opposing defenders, but his pull back fails to find a red jersey.

Plenty of huffing and puffing from Liverpool, but still yet to test goalkeeper Burgoyne.

Frustrating day so far.

Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Emirates FA Cup - Anfield Peter Byrne Peter Byrne

Nice play from Liverpool with the ball falling to Woodburn on the right side of the box, but his teasing cross comes to nothing with no attacker gambling in the box.

A save at last for Burgoyne.

The ball comes to Coutinho on the edge of the area after Firmino’s lay off, but no power  makes it an easy save for the young goalkeeper.

CHANCE! Coutinho tries to pick out Moreno who made a darting run, but a combination of too much whizz on the ball and the on-rushing Burgoyne sees the ball go out of play.

If the goalkeeper managed just the slightest of touches with Moreno, Liverpool would have been looking at a penalty here.

SUB: Second change for Liverpool with Sturridge replacing Firmino.

IRISH EYE! Very good defending from Doherty with the Irish full-back heading clear a floating Coutinho free-kick.

SUB: Irish youth international Connor Ronan replaces the outstanding Costa.

SUB: Second change for Wolves with Bödvarsson replacing Dicko.

PENALTY? Woodburn goes to ground under an attempted challenge from Evans but referee Pawson shakes his head.

Replays show it was a clear dive from the Welsh man.

SUB: Final change by Klopp with Can on for Ejaria.

Just over 15 minutes to go and Wolves you would have to say are relatively comfortable.

A very impressive disciplined defensive performance from the Championship side.

WIDE! Coutinho’s shot from 30 yards his high and wide.

SUB: We have three Irishmen on the pitch for Wolves as Mason replaces the goalscorer Weimann.

Wolves very nearly caught Liverpool on the counter again, however Ronan’s pass doesn’t reach Saville, who made a breathless run from deep.

CHANCE! It was nearly three for Wolves.

The ball was flicked on from a corner, Bodvarsson spins in the box and diverts towards the goal but Karius saves. A hint of offside about that, but the goal would have stood.

WIDE! A shot in hope rather than expectation, this time from Gomez, goes well wide of the target.

GOAL! Liverpool 1-2 Wolves (Origi 86′)

The Belgian is free at the far past from a corner to fire Liverpool back into this cup tie. The ball was originally only half-cleared by Doherty, but Sturridge managed to keep the ball alive to set Origi up for the goal.

SAVE! Best moment of the day for Burgoyne, who saves Origi’s close-range effort.

YELLOW CARD! Booing for Evans for a tackle on Moreno.

BLOCK! Bödvarsson nearly wraps up the tie with a stunning run but Lucas get his body in the way of his effort that was heading towards the back of the net.

Four minutes for Wolves to add – that is how much is being added on at the end of the half.

Opportunity for Liverpool with a free-kick roughly 25 yards out.

The wall blocks Coutinho’s shot.

Foul by Origi on Coady means Wolves can waste a few precious seconds.

Bödvarsson wins Wolves a corner – 30 seconds left.

FT: Liverpool 1-2 Wolves 

The Championship side shock Liverpool in the FA Cup and not many people associated with the Reds can have too many complaints.

Thanks for joining us and we will have all the reaction throughout the afternoon from Anfield.

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