Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his side’ second goal throughout the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
Liverpool moved seven points clear at the highest of the Premier League as Luis Diaz ended his goal drought to spark a tense 2-1 win against struggling Wolves on Sunday.
Arne Slot’s side got back on target after an unexpectedly poor week because of Diaz’s first goal in 2025 and one more Mohamed Salah strike.
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Diaz opened the scoring early in the primary half at Anfield because the Colombian forward finally scored for the thirteenth time this term after 10 games with no goal.
READ: Liverpool knocked out by second-tier Plymouth in FA Cup stunner
While Diaz has struggled to search out the online, Salah is in red-hot form and his penalty before the interval took the Egypt star to twenty-eight goals in all competitions this season.
Matheus Cunha netted within the second half for fourth-bottom Wolves, but although Liverpool looked drained in a disjointed, nervous, climax, they held on for a worthwhile victory.
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Liverpool had gone two games with no win: an embarrassing FA Cup fourth round loss at second tier Plymouth last weekend and the stormy 2-2 draw at Everton on Wednesday.
Arsenal’s 2-0 win at Leicester on Saturday had applied a little bit more pressure on Liverpool.
The Reds responded to Arsenal’s challenge as they moved a step closer to a record-equalling twentieth English title.
READ: Salah double pushes Liverpool 9 points clear in Premier League
Liverpool, who last won the Premier League in 2020, might be inside touching distance of the crown in the event that they take maximum points from trips to Aston Villa and Manchester City before hosting Newcastle over the course of the subsequent 10 days.
Liverpool boss Slot was within the dug-out despite being charged with abusive behaviour after angrily approaching referee Michael Oliver on the pitch following the Merseyside derby.
Slot was furious that James Tarkowski’s stoppage-time equaliser was not disallowed due to a possible push by Toffees striker Beto on Reds defender Ibrahima Konate.
Slot had urged Liverpool to make use of their “anger” from the painful end to the Everton game as fuel to get back on target against Wolves.
They didn’t should wait long to light the fuse as Diaz bagged his first league goal at Anfield since September.
Liverpool digs deep
Within the fifteenth minute, Diaz picked out Salah and his return pass took a wicked deflection off Toti Gomes.
Diaz stumbled forward to chest the ball past Wolves keeper Jose Sa because it barely trickled over the road.
It was hardly a murals but Diaz wasn’t complaining concerning the scruffy nature of the strike.
Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai nearly netted with a more eye-catching effort, striding forward with purpose before drilling a low shot just wide.
The Reds were rampant and Sa repelled Jota’s drive on the near post after Robertson’s cross caused panic within the Wolves defence.
Wolves couldn’t stem the tide as Liverpool went further ahead within the thirty seventh minute.
Wolves claimed Emmanuel Agbadou was pushed by Diaz before he raced into the realm and was tripped by Sa.
READ: Salah sets goal record by inspiring Liverpool win over Tottenham
But VAR ignored their protests and Salah flicked the penalty down the center with a flamboyant flourish.
Salah has seven goals in his last six games, underlining his immense value to Liverpool as his contract winds towards its conclusion at the tip of the season.
Wolves debutant Marshall Munetsi wasted a golden opportunity to scale back the deficit early within the second half.
Munetsi was sent clean through by Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, but Alisson Becker raced off his line to make a nice save.
Jota appeared to have won a penalty when Agbadou’s challenge sent him sprawling, but VAR overturned the choice as replays showed he had dived.
Liverpool had lost their momentum and Cunha took advantage, evading Ryan Gravenberch and curling an outstanding finish into the far corner within the 67th minute.
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That arrange a fraught finale for Liverpool, who needed to dig deep to secure a fourth win of their last five league games.
