FA Cup: Wolves Can Smell Blood on the Reds

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Liverpool

Wolves will meet Liverpool at the Molineux for the second time in three days after the former upset the latter with a 2-1 result in their Premier League match yesterday. The hosts hope lightning will strike twice on Friday, as they plan to salvage some pride in the FA Cup.

Rodrigo Gomes and Andre’s late goals spearheaded the Wolves’ shocking home win against the Reds last night, and they have now won two straight games. Rob Edwards’ men are still at the bottom of the English top-flight standings with only 16 points, but they are determined to fight until the end.

The loss for Liverpool dented their Top 4 hopes, as they stayed in fifth with 48 points. However, the Reds can make things right by dispatching the Wolves in the fifth round, as they gear up for Galatasaray in the Champions League Round of 16 next week.

 

Talking Points

Wolves have nothing to lose

Wolves have been playing with house money under manager Rob Edwards, and they secured just their third Premier League victory last night. Despite playing on the back foot for almost the whole evening, they struck first in the 78th minute, as Rodrigo Gomes chipped the ball past Alisson after a clever through ball by Tolu Arokodare.

Rio Ngumoha almost scored the leveller a few minutes later for Liverpool. But the Reds eventually got it from Mohamed Salah in the 83rd minute, as the Egyptian winger pounced on Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s risky pass, and it felt like the Wolves would settle for a point.

The Wolves’ breakthrough moment came in stoppage time, as Andre scored his first goal for the club after his ball was deflected off Joe Gomez’s leg into the back of the net. The Brazilian midfielder received the ball from Jackson Tchatchoua after a weak clearance from Alisson.

Rob Edwards’ side is not playing like they’re destined for the Championship, but he’s aware that the Reds are out for revenge this Friday. He’ll likely keep most of his starting XI against the Reds, with Hugo Bueno, Yerson Mosquera, Rodrigo Gomes, and Tolu Arokodare vying for starts after doing well. Joao Gomes also deserves a shoutout for being a steady presence in Wolves’ midfield yesterday. 

 

Salah ends his Liverpool drought

The only positive coming out of last night’s loss for Liverpool is that Mohamed Salah finally broke his scoring drought in the Premier League. Before yesterday, the Egyptian forward didn’t find the back of the net in his last 10 league appearances, although he was on the scoresheet in their 3-0 against Brighton in the FA Cup fourth round last month. Salah only has four league goals this season, which is not what we’re accustomed to, so the Reds will need more from him.

On the injury front, the Reds will likely be without Florian Wirtz again, as the German midfielder is listed as doubtful on Friday due to a back injury. He picked up the knock during warm-ups against Nottingham Forest.

 

History

Before last night’s surprising defeat, Liverpool were on a six-game winning streak against Wolves in the Premier League. During their unbeaten run, the Reds have scored 11 goals while conceding only four, and the Wolves’ previous win was a 3-0 result in February 2023. Given their recent mini-revival, the Wolves have avoided Derby County’s dubious record of 11 points in the English top-flight. However, they’re still likely to be relegated at the end of the season because of their sluggish start.

Liverpool are among the winningest sides in FA Cup history with eight trophies, including their last one in 2022 under Jurgen Klopp. The Wolves also have four trophies under their belts, but their last triumph dates back to 1960.

 

Betting Tip

The FA Cup 2026 odds favour the Reds to return to winning ways on Friday, suggesting that their defeat yesterday is just a one-off. Liverpool are 1.45 favourites to progress to the next round, whereas Wolves are huge 5.20 underdogs, and a draw is at 4.14 in the 1X2 market.

Just like in their previous encounters, the Wolves and Reds should put up new FA Cup 2026 highlights for the fans at the Molineux to enjoy, though not too many. Besides our recommended bet, SBOTOP punters may be tempted to add Liverpool -1.00 at 1.82 and -1.25 at 2.05 in the Asian Handicap market to the parlay. 

However, if you fancy the Wolves to upset the Reds again, check out the Correct Score of 2-1 in their favour, given its mouthwatering payout of 18.50.

   

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