Liverpool v Wolves: Match Preview & Predicted Lineup | OneFootball

By Aaron Conlon

The final game of the season, the final game of the Jürgen Klopp era is upon us and there certainly won’t be a dry eye at Anfield.

Aside from Klopp’s last managerial appearance with the Reds, the game carries no real substance with both sides viewing it as a proverbial ‘dead rubber’ with Liverpool unable to move position in the table and Wolves long safe and unable to land in the European spots. However, Anfield and the players will be desperate to give Klopp the best send-off possible after his revolutionary nine years at the club where he put the Reds back on their deserved perch.

Liverpool will also be bidding farewell to Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara, after the club announced on Friday morning, that the duo would leave following the expiration of their contracts. Matip leaves after eight great years at the club, a time in which he won it all and made 201 appearances, Thiago bids farewell after 98 appearances across four seasons winning three trophies.

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Liverpool come into the last game of the season following a 3-3 draw away at Villa Park, a match which saw the Reds initially hold a strong grip on the game until they somewhat capitulated in the last 5 minutes of normal time, with Colombian striker Jhon Duran netting 2 within 4 minutes to tie the game. Many will be hoping for a straightforward win against visitors Wolverhampton Wanderers to give Klopp his well-earned send-off, although that perhaps wouldn’t be befitting of the era…

Wolves have only won once in their last nine Premier League games, with their only success coming at home against, seemingly relegation-destined, Luton Town, something that will fill the Reds with confidence to go out and get the three points. Despite that, Liverpool’s home form has been uncharacteristically poor in recent times, losing two out of the last three home games.

Wolves’ only guaranteed absentee is centre-half Craig Dawson, however Portuguese forward Pedro Neto will be in the matchday squad after narrowly missing out against Crystal Palace last weekend, whilst Spaniard Pablo Sarabia may be ruled out after picking up a minor knock. For the Reds it seems highly likely that Matip will remain absent after missing a large portion of this campaign. Ben Doak is also expected to miss out, Diogo Jota was spotted in training earlier this week, however whether or not he will be fit enough to feature is unknown. Andy Robertson seems increasingly likely to feature after training with the squad this week.

One surprise inclusion in the squad could be Thiago after the Spaniard made a return to the turf at the AXA this week.

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Liverpool have won 10 of the last 12 encounters against Wolves, the only loss coming via a 2-0 defeat at the Molineux in February last season. Apart from this defeat, in fact the Reds have run through their familiar final-day opponents with relative ease, scoring 22 and conceding only five times in the last 12 meetings.

Predicted Liverpool Lineup:

Alisson, Trent Alexander Arnold, Jarell Quansah, Virgil Van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Alexis Mac Allister, Harvey Elliot, Wataru Endo, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, Mo Salah.

With Robertson potentially fit to play, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to see him start once more, a fitting selection given how integral the Scotsman has been to Klopp’s time. Liverpool have started well recently, and a largely unchanged lineup should be expected, although appearances for the likes of Dominik Szobozlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Darwin Nunez and Stefan Bajcetic can’t be ruled out.

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Whatever the outcome on the pitch it’s sure to be a day filled with emotion, an outpouring of love, joy and everything in between as Liverpool, we as fans say thank you and goodbye to a man who has been more than just a football manager to this great club. It’s been an honour and a privilege to call Jürgen Klopp our boss, he leaves a legacy that will go down in history. What a ride. Danke Jürgen.

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