Liverpool’s bid to finish in a UEFA Champions League place was dealt a serious blow this Tuesday, Mar. 3. The Reds crashed to a 2-1 Premier League loss at Wolverhampton Wanderers, receiving a stark reminder of the league’s unpredictability.
Liverpool Break Premier League Record After 2–1 Loss
In their mid-week contest at the Molineux Stadium, Liverpool were hoping to continue their three-match winning run in the Premier League. But they struggled to create good chances in the first half before conceding the opener from Wolves’ first shot.
Wolves forward Rodrigo Gomes made the most of a rare Wolves counter-attack and chipped the ball over Alisson Becker in the 78th minute. Five minutes later, Reds attacker Mohamed Salah restored parity with a left-footed strike. However, Wolves midfielder André’s deflected shot proved to be the decisive goal of the game in the fourth minute of added time.
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Following their ninth Premier League loss of the season, Liverpool have now lost five games in the league this term due to goals conceded in the 90th minute. No other team have ever lost Premier League matches owing to late goals more than the Merseyside outfit.
The Reds, who won the Premier League title last term, first conceded a 90th-minute winner this season when Eddie Nketiah helped Crystal Palace win 2-1 last September. They also allowed Estêvão Willian to score a late winner in Chelsea’s 2-1 victory last October.
Three months later, Amine Adli scored in a 3-2 triumph for Bournemouth earlier in January. Erling Haaland was the fourth player to score a winning goal in the 90th minute against the Reds, converting a penalty in Manchester City’s 2-1 win at Anfield last month.
Meanwhile, Liverpool great Steven Gerrard has urged Reds head coach Arne Slot to hand a start to teenage winger Rio Ngumoha over Cody Gakpo in the club’s upcoming match.
“For 65 minutes, Liverpool were desperate tonight, really poor, didn’t create enough, didn’t play at the right speed or tempo, didn’t have enough quality,” he told TNT Sports.
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“He has to start Ngumoha now. He has to start him because he’s coming on and he’s doing more in a short cameo, in a short space of time than Gakpo’s doing in 65, 70 minutes. He deserves to start now. He’s got to start the kid on Friday night,” Gerrard added.
Ngumoha, who impressed after coming on as a substitute earlier on Tuesday, could start in the Reds’ FA Cup fifth round game at Wolves on Friday, Mar. 6. The 17-year-old has scored one goal in 17 total games, including three starts, for his side so far this season.
