Liverpool v Wolves: Premier League – live!

7 min The corner is cleared and Liverpool break at pace. Curtis Jones runs 50 yards into the Wolves area, but he’s held up really well by Semedo and Wolves are able to get numbers back.

6 min Traore wins a corner off Robertson. Those two had a spectacular duel at Molineux last season, so that should be good fun tonight.

5 min “Opening the match coverage in Amazon Prime gives a warning that the following program may contain ‘Mature themes’,” says Matt Dony. “Not sure what they’re expecting to happen, but I’m looking forward to finding out…”

It’s high time we moved on from this vanilla football culture.

4 min I take it back – Wolves are playing a back four.

4 min Neves hammers the free-kick onto the roof of the net. Not a bad idea, to test Kelleher early on, but he got a bit too much on it.

3 min Neto is fouled just outside the penalty box by Neco Williams, who is booked. The free-kick is 20 yards from goal, in line with the left edge of the area.

2 min Liverpool win an early corner, which is headed away by Coady. Wolves are playing with a back three/five, not the 4-3-3 we expected.

1 min Peep peep! Wolves kick off from left to right. They’re wearing their white and blue away strip due to a clash between their usual gold shirt and Liverpool’s red.

The Liverpool players receive a rousing ovation from the 2,000 fans at Anfield. Jurgen Klopp has a big dumb smile on his face as he looks around the ground.

“Wolves away to L’pool?” muses Kevin Porter. “Best I’m not there. I have visited Anfield on seven occasions to watch my Old Gold favourites and I’ve yet to see us score a goal. I even missed the sensational Steve Mardenborough match – though no doubt scoring via your shoulder would be not be judged VAR-compliant these days.”

That would be allowed, I think, but you make a valid point: that egregious fiasco hasn’t only ruined modern football, it’s also starting to damage the past. I tried to unwind the other night by watching the full 90 minutes of an old classic, Como 0-0 Atalanta from December 1984, but I was constantly distracted by thoughts of where VAR would get busy. I mean, sure, that off-the-ball elbow knocked four front teeth clean out, but can you really be sure it was a clear and obvious error?

Here’s more on Spurs’ win over Arsenal, which puts them top of the table again. They go to Anfield a week on Wednesday.

“Curtis Jones quickly becoming a regular starter for Liverpool,” says Robert Lin, “although I suspect it would be a little different if Thiago was fit. England call-up next? Not sure how Southgate would fit him in his 3-4-3 though.”

It feels a bit early for that to me, though I don’t doubt he’ll play for England.

Liverpool start the game in fourth after wins today for Leicester and Spurs, who did a predictable number on Arsenal. If Liverpool win they will go second; if Wolves win they will move from tenth to fifth, and cruelly steal Christian Benteke’s thunder.

Diogo Jota suffers the rotation blues against his old club; he is only on the Liverpool bench. He is joined there by the returning Trent Alexander-Arnold, while Caiomhin Kelleher makes his Premier League debut in goal.

Wolves haven’t directly replaced Raul Jimenez, who fractured his skull against Arsenal last weekend. Ruben Neves comes into the starting XI, which suggests a switch from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3, probably with Daniel Podence as a false nine.

Liverpool (4-3-3) Kelleher; N Williams, Matip, Fabinho, Robertson; Jones, Henderson, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Substitutes: Adrian, Tsimikas, Phillips, Alexander-Arnold, Keita, Minamino, Jota.

Wolves (4-3-3) Rui Patricio; Semedo, Boly, Coady, Marcal; Dendoncker, Neves, Moutinho; Traore, Podence, Neto.
Substitutes: Ruddy, Hoever, Ait-Nouri, Kilman, Vitinha, Saiss, Fabio Silva.

Referee Craig Pawson.

Hello. Christian Benteke scored twice today. The last time that happened in a league match was 23 April 2017, when his two goals gave Crystal Palace an unlikely victory at Anfield. That was also the last time Liverpool lost a Premier League game at home. It might be an omen; more likely is that it’s a sign of how stiff a task Wolves face tonight.

Liverpool have won 53 and drawn 11 since that last defeat – but even that doesn’t tell the full story. Since February 2019 they have all but abolished the home draw, never mind the home defeat: their record is P31 W30 D1 L0 F89 A25. In the long history of English football, there may never have been a tougher place to visit than Anfield right now. Wolves are a dangerous team, built to play on the counter-attack, but this is the ultimate test.

Kick off 7.15pm.