Match report: Wolves knock Reds out of FA Cup

The away team stunned Anfield throughout a first half that began with Richard Stearman’s headed opener and concluded with Andreas Weimann’s cool finish at the end of a counter-attack.

Jürgen Klopp’s side halved the deficit through Divock Origi four minutes before the end of the fourth-round tie, but ultimately bowed out of this season’s competition.

The key points…

• Stearman header put Wolves in front after 53 seconds
• Weimann doubled the lead four minutes before break
• Origi’s late strike not enough to prevent elimination

The team news…

Klopp shuffled his options in selecting an XI, meaning only Roberto Firmino and Loris Karius retained their places from the side which started against Southampton in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night.

Wolves listed former Reds midfielder Conor Coady in their ranks, the Scouser playing right-back for Paul Lambert’s charges on his return to Anfield.

The first half…

Liverpool fell behind within a minute of kick-off.

The visitors capitalised on an early set-piece situation by swinging a cross into the penalty area from the right flank for Stearman – who appeared to be marginally offside – to nod back across goal and past Karius.

Klopp’s men looked to play their way back into the game in the immediate aftermath of the concession, but Wolves went dangerously close to doubling their advantage on 10 minutes.

Helder Costa, whose free-kick delivery had fashioned the opener, set off on a weaving solo run from deep which carried the No.17 all the way into the box, where he scuffed a shot wide to the right under late pressure.

As Wolves’ bright beginning began to subside, the Reds exerted more control on possession, though without causing genuine concern to the Championship club.

Ovie Ejaria offered a focal point for creativity around the half-hour mark, however, and saw an appeal for a penalty dismissed having completed a one-two with Origi and tumbled under a challenge from Stearman.

The 19-year-old then forged a half-chance for Firmino, who moved off the left into a square pass and struck an angled drive from just inside the area which flew off target.

But, instead, Wolves struck again before the interval.

Their latest counter-attack caught Liverpool short and when the ball was quickly switched from Costa on the right to Weimann on the left, the forward side-stepped the goalkeeper and tapped into an empty net.

The second half…

The Reds emerged for the second period with Philippe Coutinho among them, as Klopp rearranged his side to have three at the back, Alberto Moreno and Ben Woodburn in high wide roles, and the substitute supporting Firmino and Origi.

Wolves were largely untroubled, though, with their well-drilled backline having a precious lead to defend and frustrating the hosts further with each minute that they did so.

Coutinho had a harmless effort from distance scooped up easily by Harry Burgoyne and then almost set up Moreno with a fine slide-rule pass into the left channel – but the visiting ‘keeper rushed out and did enough to put the Spaniard off.

Klopp sent on Daniel Sturridge with a quarter of the game to go, but aside from another comfortable catch from the No.15’s punt from 20 yards, Lambert’s men continued to keep Liverpool at arm’s length.

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson was thwarted by Karius from an offside position when Wolves recycled the ball from a corner in the closing stages, before Sturridge kept a corner alive at the other end and Origi slammed in with 86 minutes on the clock.

The Belgian almost equalised from a carbon copy situation within moments, only for Burgoyne to block on the line and confirm elimination from the FA Cup for the Reds.

The stats...