In a fitting retaliation after their dismal performance over the weekend, Liverpool defeated Wolves 1-0 thanks to a spectacular goal from Harvey Elliott. A class from Harvey Elliott sees them through the next round.
The Reds are currently having difficulties in the League. And everyone can easily see it. And yesterday, on the field, Harvey Elliott separated Liverpool from the wolves. The Reds advance to the next round as a result. The Reds’ next Premier League matchup comes this weekend against the mighty Chelsea. Would they gain momentum from this victory?
Goalkeeper & Defenders
Caoimhin Kelleher (7.5/10)
Kelleher was a surprise starter after Jurgen Klopp said Alisson was his FA Cup goalkeeper on many occasions, and he would have loved the chance to play again. The Irishman’s modest performance enraged the Wolves supporters as he sped up goal kick times with a carefree demeanor.
James Milner (6.5/10)
Milner, who started at right back, became just the eighth player to play for the team after turning 37 on a night when it was necessary. The skipper performed admirably against a player 16 years his junior; on one occasion, he even beat Rayan Ait-Nouri up the flank. A strong showing.
Ibrahima Konate (8.5/10)
After another change at center-back, Konate was forced to go from left to right, thus his versatility and consistency on the field are impressive qualities. He had to battle flames again once the back line was again changed in the second half, and happily, he did so with the quickness and ferocity that characterize his game.
Joe Gomez (6/10)
Joel Matip put on a poor performance at Brighton, giving Gomez an opportunity to reestablish himself because Virgil van Dijk will be sidelined for another month. Although it is far from certain that he will start against Chelsea, he did little wrong whether playing right or center defense.
Kostas Tsimikas (5/10)
Tsimikas is an effective replacement for Andy Robertson, which is essential on occasions like these, although the first-choice left-back is more agile. He occasionally battled against Adama Traore’s quickness and directness, which also restricted his exploits into the final third, but he contributed to a much-needed clean sheet.
Midfielders
Bajcetic (6/10)
Bajcetic is entertaining to watch as he progressively adapts to the senior game. He is, of course, not quite there yet, but what he has to give is quite encouraging. Although he made mistakes, he provided a solid foundation at the base of the midfield by passing well and frequently finding a way out of trouble.
Naby Keita (6.5/10)
Keita’s return to the starting lineup during Jordan Henderson’s form slump was appreciated. He had been healthy before the restart but had only played as a substitute in the previous six games. He appears to play with better positional discipline than the guy he replaced and is a constantly eager alternative in possession as well as a key outlet going up the pitch.
Thiago (8.5/10)
Thiago, the lone midfielder from a lackluster trio that was kept from the weekend, was an important presence next to the less experienced Bajcetic, frequently making up for his little errors. He was given plenty of room to move about in midfield and set the tone, which naturally resulted in a more dominant performance from Liverpool.
Forwards
Harvey Elliott (8.5/10)
Elliott, who had been moved to the offensive line due to worries about his effectiveness in the middle of the field, needed 13 minutes to step up and give Liverpool the lead against Wolves with a twisting left-footed attempt. Looks much better when he avoids stepping on the right winger’s toes and is more at ease tracking back to cover the right back, which he was required to do more and more as the game went on.
Carvalho (5/10)
In the lead-up, Klopp was compelled to justify his choice to bench Carvalho for five straight matches, but the truth is that the 20-year-old has yet to genuinely contribute as a starter. The same thing happened at Molineux, as he moved about in a similar fashion as Takumi Minamino did during his first few weeks at Liverpool.
Cody Gakpo (5/10)
Gakpo was used as a center-forward for the second game in a row, and it is obvious that it will take him some time to settle in, much like Darwin Nunez (somewhat) before him. Although the buildup play had some promising moments, the three shots—one on goal and two wildly off—speak for itself.
Substitutions
Fabinho (5.5/10)
Came as the substitute for Bajcetic to see through the game.
Mohamed Salah (6/10)
Came in for Cody Gakpo. Needs to get his mojo back to lead the front line like he used to do.
