Liverpool play host to Wolves in the Premier League with the aim of re-establishing their big lead at the top of the table after a chaotic Merseyside derby against Everton.
The Reds are chasing a first league title under manager Arne Slot and came into the weekend with a seven-point cushion over Arsenal in second place. The Gunners’ victory over Leicester on Saturday cut that to four but Liverpool cane restore the gap today. Their last outing ended in a 2-2 draw with Everton in the last Merseyside derby to be played at Goodison Park and Slot’s men will want to respond positively when they take on Wolves at Anfield.
For their part, Wolves are battling to avoid relegation and need to keep collecting points to remain outside the relegation zone. Before this gameweek their were only two points separating them from 18th placed Leicester and three between them and 19th placed Ipswich. Any points collected at Anfield would be a bonus for their chances of survival.
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Premier League title race: Who has the best fixtures – Liverpool or Arsenal?
The Premier League is heading towards a frantic title race between Liverpool and Arsenal.
Liverpool remain in a strong position despite the “mayhem” of their Merseyside derby draw against Everton, with the Reds closing in on just a second league title in 35 years in manager Arne Slot’s first season at Anfield.
A calamitous campaign from reigning champions Manchester City looked to have opened the door for last year’s runners-up Arsenal, but the Gunners have endured a difficult season with injuries hitting Mikel Arteta’s squad hard.
There is still plenty of time for Arsenal to hunt Liverpool down, but the title race appears to be entering a decisive stretch of fixtures up until the March international break. It’s been an unpredictable year, so expect further twists and turns before May.
Arne Slot reveals message to Curtis Jones as Liverpool midfielder faces ban
Liverpool manager Arne Slot said he would speak with Curtis Jones after he was sent off after the final whistle against Everton, but stopped short of criticising the midfielder by admitting he also made a mistake with his reaction following the Merseyside derby.
“I liked a lot that he [Jones] stood up for the team, but I also think there are other ways for the team and the fans to do that,” Slot said. “I will talk to him about that.
“But it’s the same for me. I should have acted differently after the game as well. It is an emotional sport and sometimes individuals with emotions make the wrong decisions. That is definitely what I did.”
Wolves are turning around their form
Following a run of four consecutive defeats in the Premier League, Wolves ended their bad fortune with a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa in a midlands derby during their last league outing.
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde opened the scoring in the 12th minute and Vitor Pereira’s side maintained their lead until Matheus Cunha secured the points with a second goal late in stoppage time.
Wolves then swept past Balckburn Rovers 2-0 in the FA Cup last time out and come to Anfield hoping to make it three wins from three.
Matheus Cunha’s new contract ‘symbolises his importance’ to Wolves
Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs says Matheus Cunha’s new contract “symbolises his importance to us on the pitch”.
The Brazilian signed a deal to stay at Molineux until 2029 in January and will hope to help the club avoid relegation this year.
Hobbs said on the club’s official website: “The new contract is a reward for what Matheus has done, and symbolises his importance to us on the pitch.
“Matheus loves the club, loves the fans and really appreciates the opportunity the club has given him. The fans have taken him under their wing, and he’s loved being here, so it’s been a really positive experience for both sides.
“His talent is undeniable and he’s a real winner. He wants us to achieve our goals now, and when a player of his quality shows he’s with you and up for the fight, it’s a big lift for everyone.”
Arne Slot charged after Merseyside derby red card but will be in dugout for Wolves clash
Both clubs have also been charged with their players and/or technical area occupants behaving in an improper and/or provocative way following the final whistle after a scuffle broke out which led to Curtis Jones and Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure being sent off.
Premier League state of play
Liverpool come into today’s match sitting top of the Premier League table with 57 points from their 24 matches so far.
They will end the weekend on top but their lead over second placed Arsenal will have been cut to four points if they lose to Wolves at Anfield today.
Victory sends them seven points ahead of the Gunners and 10 points clear of third placed Nottingham Forest. Should Arne Slot’s men triumph they are one step closer to lifting the trophy.
For Wolves, they have a chance to distance themselves from the relegation zone. Defeat for Leicester and a draw for Ipswich yesterday mean the midlands club are just two points above the drop zone though they could extend that to five if they provide a shock at Anfield.
Arne Slot praises ‘mentally strong’ Liverpool after Everton draw
Leaders Liverpool missed out on the chance to move nine points clear of Arsenal on Wednesday night, but Arne lot said he took pride in how his side stood up to the test of facing Everton in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park to extend their lead over the Gunners in the title race.
Liverpool had lost their previous visit to Everton in April 2024, in a defeat that spelled the end of their title challenge under Jurgen Klopp, and Slot added that he was growth from his team and says they were “mentally much stronger” than last season.
“It felt immediately after the referee blew his whistle that we lost two points,” Slot said. “But during the 98 minutes, I didn’t feel constantly that we were going to win the game. It felt like an equal game and the draw would’ve been a fair result. But with us leading after 96 minutes, we felt we were close to winning the game.
“But we won a lot on Wednesday as well, and what I mean by that is, when you look at the togetherness of the fans and the players and how much we fought together to get the result. We have been praised so many times this season for how well they can play, but the players showed a different side of themselves.”
Arne Slot on red card: ‘The emotions got the better of me’
“I think what happened was the extra time ended up being eight, it happens a lot, the emotions got the better of me, if I look back I would love to do it differently. There is an ongoing process and I will respect that
“Many things happened in extra time that led to me being quite emotional. There was a VAR review for two minutes and I thought, maybe the only thing that could happen is he looks back at the foul, or maybe it’s offside. Of course then, after 10 minutes you hear there fans cheering and you [realise] it’s not offside.
“So many things happened in extra time but as I said it would not be smart to go into every incident.”
Slot to respect ‘disciplinary process’ after Everton red card
“I won’t go into details,” Arne Slot said on Friday about the circumstances after the Merseyside derby which saw him pick up a red card following the conclusion of the game.
“I think what happened was the extra time ended up being eight, it happens a lot, the emotions got the better of me, if I look back I would love to do it differently.
“There is an ongoing process and I will respect that.”
Liverpool manager Arne Slot explains red card against Everton
Liverpool manager Arne Slot admitted the emotions of the Merseyside derby got the better of him but would not go into details of his red card against Everton on Wednesday night.
Slot was sent off by referee Michael Oliver after the final whistle following an intense hand shake, with the Liverpool manager furious at James Tarkowski’s equaliser coming after the 97th minute.
Only five minutes of added time had been signalled as Liverpool looked to close out victory at Goodison Park, and the Dutchman indicated that he sought an explanation for why the game continued.
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