Wolverhampton Wanderers fans responded to a lengthy spell of passing with chants of “ole” as they closed out the final few minutes of Saturday’s hugely impressive dismantling of Liverpool.
That was something Reds fans were often able to inflict on their opponents in recent seasons, but those days feel like a long time ago as the season of disappointment continues.
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If the 3-0 loss at Brighton last month felt like a low point, this 3-0 loss at Molineux was arguably worse. After all, the Seagulls are aiming for a top-seven finish, whereas Wolves began the weekend in the relegation zone.
This latest defeat was also the first time Liverpool had lost three consecutive Premier League away games since 2012.
They have conceded nine goals in four games and scored just one since the turn of the year, hardly ideal preparation for the Merseyside derby.
“We have to change it immediately in the next game… Everton won today and they are in a good moment so we have to prove a point again,” Jurgen Klopp said.
The loss drops Liverpool to tenth place, 11 points behind fourth-placed Newcastle United. For Klopp, the defeat to Wolves was self-inflicted due to a dreadful start.
The home team, who were energetic and confident from the start, took advantage of Liverpool’s sluggish start to take the lead after five minutes.
Hwang Hee-chan was allowed to get in behind on the right, and his drilled cross was deflected into the net by Joel Matip.
While the first goal was unlucky, Liverpool’s poor defending led to the second goal seven minutes later, when they failed to clear inside their own box, allowing Wolves debutant Craig Dawson to drive in.
Those errors led to goals, but Liverpool’s play was riddled with errors throughout its disastrous start.
“We caused the misery with the first 12 minutes,” lamented a frustrated-looking Klopp in the post-match news conference. “It cannot happen.”
He added: “In a game like this it is not allowed. You can criticise and judge us and you are probably right because those 12 minutes are not allowed.”