Harvey Elliott’s 13th minute strike saw Liverpool snatch a 1-0 away win over Wolves at Molineux in Third Round replay of 2022-23 FA Cup.
After a start blighted by technical issues, Harvey Elliott fired Liverpool ahead with a stunning 13th minute strike on a quick counter-attack.
Wolves eventually couldn’t find the breakthrough equalising goal despite Adama Traore and Raul Jimenez both missing second-half chances, as Julen Lopetegui’s side crashed out of a second cup competition in the space of six days – having lost to Nottingham Forest in this season’s Carabao Cup.
Liverpool will now visit Brighton & Hove Albion at the AMEX Stadium in the Fourth Round, at 1:30pm GMT on Sunday 29 January live on ITV1.
Prior to kick-off, Wolves confirmed the arrival of PSG midfielder, Pablo Sarabia on a two-and-a-half year contract, which cetainly lifted spirits for the hosts as Jimenez headed wide from Traore’s second minute cross.
Both teams however had to endure a brief power outage just 20 seconds then the subsequent losses of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and Goal-Line Technology due to further power issues in and around Molineux.
Wolves nevertheless continued to dominate the opening minutes and Rayan Ait-Nouri went close in the 12th minute, as he charged up the left and cut across only for Joe Gomez to controversially use his right arm to make a crucial block.
Liverpool converted that slice of luck to their advantage with a devastating counter-attack just seconds later, as Thiago Alcantara teed up Elliott to race forward largely unmarked and the 19 year-old calmly smashed his shot beyond Jose Sa from 25 yards to put the Reds into the lead.
Konstantinos Tsimikas missed a chance to double Liverpool’s lead in the 16th minute as he overlapped with Fabio Carvalho, yet was only able to put his shot over the bar before he conceded a free-kick a minute later but an offside Ait-Nouri headed over the bar.
Ait-Nouri was then lucky not to concede a penalty in the 25th minute after he accidentally caught Cody Gakpo, with referee – Andre Marriner ruling quickly that it wasn’t an intentional foul as he waved play on.
Wolves at the opposite end often drew fouls as they ventured forward, of which their best chance came in the 27th minute as Tsimikas fouled Traore and Ruben Neves’ smashed a volley from a blocked free-kick towards goal which was deflected and cleared.
Liverpool meanwhile looked the more likely to find the second goal of this match and almost opened a two-goal lead in the 35th minute, as Elliott teed up Naby Keita who rolled forward for Carvalho to fire in albeit offside.
Jurgen Klopp’s Reds thereafter clung on to their lead heading into half-time as Wolves struggled to find an equaliser, during which Traore rifled over from a tight angle in the 37th minute.
Wolves manager, Julen Lopetegui responded at half-time by substituting Dexter Lembikisa and Joe Hodge for Nelson Semedo and Matheus Nunes respectively.
Those two changes had a solid impact as Wolves displayed a more energetic press but neither team were able to produce many clear-cut chances in the first 15 minutes of the second half.
Nunes though made the biggest impact of the two half-time substitutes as he teed up Ait-Nouri with a 66th minute pass, which the Frenchman squared across to Jimenez who laid off for Traore but the Spaniard rifled over the bar.
Wolves soon afterwards began to dominate which led Liverpool substitute, Nat Phillips to foul Matheus Cunha in the 71st minute, and Neves curled the subsequent free-kick over the bar as the hosts desperately chased an equaliser to force extra-time at minimum.
Jimenez then nodded Traore’s 78th minute short looped cross over the bar as Wolves continued to aggressively stretch Liverpool’s defence, yet the Reds were organised enough to intercept any overhanging ball deliveries and clear up the pitch.
Liverpool eventually clung on to wrap up victory and book a Fourth Round trip to Brighton on 29 January, where they will be seeking revenge after suffering a ruthless Premier League defeat at the Amex Stadium on Saturday (14 January).
Speaking to BBC One post-match, Elliott admitted that he felt he had “not been at my best form after the World Cup”, but believed that his goal is “a confidence booster” heading into two tricky fixtures to conclude the Reds’ action in January.
What’s Next?
Wolves now can focus solely on their battle for Premier League survival as they face a daunting trip to Manchester City on Sunday 22 January in a 2pm GMT kick-off.
Liverpool meanwhile host Chelsea at Anfield on Saturday 21 January in a 12:30pm GMT kick-off, in a must-win match as both clubs look to boost their hopes of qualifying for an UEFA competition next season.
Teams
Wolves: Josa Sa, Dexter Lembikisa (Semedo 45′), Nathan Collins, Toti Gomes, Jonny (Podence 64′), Adama Traore, Joao Moutinho (Cunha 65′), Ruben Neves, Joe Hodge (Nunes 45′), Rayan Ait-Nouri, Raul Jimenez (Costa 84′)
Substitutes: Daniel Podence, Hwang Hee-Chan, Matheus Cunha, Matija Sarkic, Nelson Semedo, Max Kilman, Matheus Nunes, Diego Costa, Hugo Bueno
Liverpool: Caoimhin Kelleher, James Milner (Phillips 66′), Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konate, Konstantinos Tsimikas, Naby Keita, Stefan Bajcetic (Fabinho 75′), Thiago Alcantara (Doak 75′), Harvey Elliott, Cody Gakpo (Salah 66′), Fabio Carvalho (Jones 66′)
Substitutes: Alisson, Fabinho, Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Curtis Jones, Andrew Robertson, Joel Matip, Nat Phillips, Ben Doak
Referee: Andre Marriner
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