Wolves v Liverpool: History and Analysis

Matt Cooper

Matt Cooper
It’s Premier League finale weekend, and everything is still to play for with the Premier League title still up for grabs on the last day of the season.  Manchester City take on Brighton who have already confirmed another season in the Premier League while Liverpool take on Wolves who have already confirmed 7th place.  This doesn’t mean Wolves don’t have anything to play for, and you can bet they’ll be wanting to beat Liverpool this weekend. After Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal making it to the two European Cup Finals, Wolves and Manchester City have become the only two teams in history to have beaten all 4 European competition finalists in one season.

History of  Wolves v Liverpool

Wolves come into this game, with the chance to put it beyond doubt that Liverpool go another season without winning English footballs greatest prize. Wolves have met Liverpool on 103 occasions, winning 36 of them compared to Liverpool’s 50. The first game between the two sides was on 29th September 1894, when they met in League Division One, with Wolves getting a 3-1 victory at home.  The return fixture in the same season finished in a 3-3 draw. Wolves and Liverpool met nearly every season between 1894 and 1906, mostly in League Division One, with one game being in the FA Cup. There was a void between 1906 and 1923 where the two sides didn’t meet at all, but either side of that gap the same result, a 2-0 loss to Liverpool, both at home. From then until 1984 the sides played regularly, at least every decade.  There was then a 20 year void where between 1984 and 2004, the two sides didn’t meet in a competitive game (there was a friendly between the two sides at Molineux in the 1990’s). Liverpool and Wolves have met 3 times in the last 3 years, with Wolves coming out victorious in 2 of them, but the most recent League game ended in a 2-0 loss at Molineux.

Wolves v Liverpool Analysis

Wolves come into the game unbeaten in their last 4 with wins against Arsenal, Watford and Fulham and a draw with Brighton, and one loss in the last 5 being the 3-1 loss to Southampton. Liverpool come into the game with 4 wins out of their last 5, two of those being a 5-0 win against Huddersfield and a 4-0 win against Barcelona.  Their only loss in those 5 games was a 3-0 loss away from home. Liverpool will be up for the game knowing they have to win to have any chance of confirming a first Premier League title, but Wolves will be no push overs, and even though they have confirmed 7th, they will be wanting to end the season on a high, and what better way than denying Liverpool their dream. Nuno may use this opportunity to give some younger players a chance to play against a big team knowing there is nothing really at cost.  However, the main core of the team is likely to remain the same and with the current run, you have to expect them to give Liverpool a game. Liverpool come into the game after a 4-0 win against Barcelona and with Firmino out injured, and Salah just back fit in the nick of time (convenient heh?).   For this reason and knowing Liverpool will be going into this match confident, and they may underestimate Wolves after just beating Barce convincingly.  When Wolves are underestimated, their opponents get punished. Wolves will want a win to sign off in style, honestly this is a game I just can’t choose as form goes out the window.  You can never bet against Wolves these days, so I’m going to predict that Wolves will knick it in the last minute 2-3. Prediction: Liverpool 2-3 Wolves   Adam Carr