watch for all the latest news & predictions ahead of Liverpool v wolves
TEAM NEWS
Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo is doubtful after picking up an injury in the Everton draw. Joe Gomez and Tyler Morton are still unavailable, while Curtis Jones is suspended after receiving a red card at Goodison Park.
Head coach Arne Slot and assistant Sipke Hulshoff were also sent off on Wednesday, but any bans for them likely won’t take effect before Sunday’s game.
Wolves will miss Hwang Hee-chan, who left the Blackburn match last weekend with a hamstring injury. Jorgen Strand Larsen is nearing a return from a similar issue, though this match may come too soon for him. New players Nasser Djiga and Marshall Munetsi are ready to make their Premier League debuts.
VITOR PEREIRA
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Pereira confirmed there are no fresh injury concerns within the squad.
On January signings Marshall Munetsi and Nasser Djiga: “They have the skills in their positions to help the team. We have a good team, and they are good players. They are committed and focused on the work, and this is what we need.”
Pereira said he will not be settling to play for a draw against Liverpool and instead will look to take all three points: “I’m not thinking about going there to defend for 90 minutes and take a point. I’m looking to prepare the team to play our way with our quality, and to get the best possible result.”
He also reacted to comments that Matheus Cunha is a “quality player” from Liverpool boss Arne Slot: “I’m very happy for him – he’s a top player. He’s my player so I will enjoy him playing for us with his qualities.”
The Portuguese boss believes that the pressure Wolves are currently facing in the table is what he needs in order to thrive as a manager: “If you look through my career, I’ve worked in clubs where pressure is day by day. I need this pressure. Without pressure, I cannot be myself.”
MATCH STATS & FACTS
Head-to-head
Liverpool have won 15 of the 16 most recent top-flight meetings, with the exception a 3-0 loss at Molineux in February 2023.
Wolves have lost nine of their 10 Premier League games at Anfield, only avoiding defeat in a 1-0 win in December 2010.
Liverpool
The Reds won 23 of 27 league and cup games under Arne Slot prior to January but have failed to win six of 12 matches since the turn of the year (D3, L3).
Despite conceding a stoppage-time equaliser at Everton in midweek, Liverpool have dropped only six points from winning positions this season, a joint low with Manchester United.
They have scored at least twice in each of their past nine home league fixtures, netting 22 times in total during this run.
The Merseysiders have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their previous four top-flight games at Anfield.
Mohamed Salah has 14 assists in the Premier League this season, one shy of the Liverpool record set by Steve McManaman in 1995-96 and six short of the overall record of 20, set by Thierry Henry in 2002-03 and Kevin de Bruyne in 2019-20.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves are vying to win back-to-back league matches for the third time this season, having also done so under Gary O’Neil in November and Vitor Pereira in December.
They have kept three clean sheets in eight Premier League fixtures under Pereira, one more than in their final 33 games under O’Neil.
Wolves have lost all seven of their Premier League away matches against sides starting the day top of the table.
They have conceded 28 top-flight away goals this season, second only to Leicester prior to the latest round of fixtures.
Matheus Cunha has scored 26 goals in all competitions for Wolves since the start of last season, 11 more than anyone else.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Simon Hooper. Assistants: Adrian Holmes, Simon Long. Fourth official: Sam Barrott. VAR: John Brooks. Assistant VAR: Adam Nunn.
MATCH INFO
This one is a 2pm kick off on Sunday 16th February at Anfield and will be shown live on SkySports in the UK.