Jürgen Klopp got the reaction he asked for and the reward he craved. Liverpool will make a quick return to Brighton, the scene of their Premier League humiliation on Saturday, after holding off a determined but toothless Wolves to secure a fourth round trip to the Amex Stadium.
The Liverpool manager had wanted another bite at Brighton to make amends for the 3-0 reverse which he described as one of the most painful experiences of his managerial career. “I’m not going to be a big mouth and say ‘Let’s go back,’ but we’re going to go out there and try to play better than last time,” he said.
Klopp got his wish with a superb first-half strike from Harvey Elliott, who lit up the equalizer with a 25-yard strike, and a determined second-half display as Wolves pressed to get a draw. A much-improved performance from an eight-change Brighton side gave Liverpool a first win of 2023 and their manager some tough options ahead of Chelsea’s visit to Anfield on Saturday.
Julen Lopetegui’s side were given extra motivation by being handed victory in the first leg at Anfield by a controversial offside decision. They had drive and plenty of the ball, but not the creativity or finishing to make them count.
“What happened in the first game was a shame and maybe we shouldn’t be here to play this game,” said the Wolves manager, still clearly hurt by Toti’s disallowed goal on Merseyside. “We deserved more, but it’s not about what you deserve, it’s about goals.”
Quick Guide
Third round replay summary: Luton and Bristol City celebrate late wins
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Elijah Adebayo scored a spectacular injury time winner as Luton advanced to the fourth round with a 2-1 win at Wigan.
Extra time was on the cards after Cauley Woodrow quickly canceled out Thelo Aasgaard’s opener in the second half, but Adebayo pounced from close range at the death.
Sam Bell scored a superb winner nine minutes from the end of extra time for City of Bristol to win 2-1 at Swansea. The Robins substitute cut in from the left and dismissed goalkeeper Andy Fisher to settle the replay and reward his club with a draw at home to West Brom. It was 20-year-old Bell’s first senior goal for the club.
Mark Sykes’ third goal in two games had put Bristol City ahead against the run of play with a composed finish after a slick move just after the hour mark, but Swans substitute Ollie Cooper equalized scorers in the 73rd minute, seconds after coming on.
Birmingham produced a second-half comeback to avoid an upset with a 2-1 win at Forest Green. Goals from Lukas Jutkiewicz and Kevin Long saw Birmingham through despite a scare from the bottom League One club after Ben Stevenson’s opener.
AccringtonFA Cup third round replay with Boreham Wood it was postponed after an inspection deemed the surface “unplayable”.
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Wolves got off to a bright start, albeit after a lapse of light in the first minute, with Rúben Neves looking to release Adama Traoré behind Kostas Tsimikas at every opportunity.
Their first chance came from the opposite side when Raúl Jimenez sent Rayan Aït-Nouri down the left and, after cutting back James Milner, the converted full-back’s shot was blocked by Joe Gomez. Wolves’ penalty appeals for a Gomez handball were turned down by referee Andre Marriner and VAR (the ball hit the defender’s elbow at close range) and his mood deteriorated further when Liverpool got on the scoreboard seconds later.
It was an impressive finish from Elliott, although Lopetegui will rightly have asked about Wolves’ defense and the position of goalkeeper José Sá. Receiving the ball from Thiago Alcântara inside his own half, the 19-year-old advanced into Wolves territory and continued to run as the home defense retreated. Elliott took the invitation to shoot and his 25-yard effort flew over Sá, stranded well off his line, into the roof of the net.
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Klopp punched the air in celebration. The goal was not all that would have satisfied the Liverpool manager. He had demanded greater intensity, aggression and urgency in response to the lackluster display in Brighton and his much-changed team delivered.
Liverpool performed with renewed confidence after the breakthrough. Thiago’s influence increased with Stefan Bajcetic, Fábio Carvalho and Elliott providing energy and options around him. Liverpool almost doubled their lead when Carvalho found Tsimikas in space inside the box, but the full-back’s shot flew just inches over Sá’s crossbar. Carvalho beat the Wolves keeper with a smart finish from Elliott’s pass but was flagged for offside.
Wolves continued to enjoy plenty of possession, but had no advantage. A shot from Traoré, well wide after Neves flicked a ball over the top, was as close as the home side came to troubling Caoimhin Kelleher in the first half. Lopetegui was incensed by what he perceived as Liverpool’s persistent fouling without the punishment of a booking. After a foul by Milner on Jimenez, which again resulted in a foul but no card, he was involved in a furious row with Klopp that prompted the fourth official to intervene.
Harvey Elliott lets fly from long range to score for Liverpool against Wolves. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
The Wolves manager made a double substitution at half-time, bringing on Matheus Nunes and Nélson Semedo, but his side’s pattern remained the same: promising, patient work that ran out of steam in the final third. Liverpool’s defense deserves credit for nullifying their rival and isolating Jimenez, but the lack of ingenuity and quality in Wolves’ attack was evident. Traoré, found in space on the edge of the area by the Mexico international, summed up that aspect of the home side’s display by sending his shot over the top.
Wolves pressed during a dominant second half. The Neves-Traoré move almost paid off when the powerful full-back drove to the byline and Kelleher crossed for Jimenez. The center forward connected from two yards, but his header hit the back of Gomez’s head and went wide. Marriner, not the most popular guy at Molineux, conceded a shot on goal. It was not the night of the wolves. It wasn’t his tie. Liverpool will return to the south coast with something to prove.