Liverpool rocked by last-gasp defeat at Wolves

Molineux, Tuesday night – Premier League basement side Wolverhampton Wanderers delivered a stunning blow to Liverpool’s top-four ambitions, striking twice in the dying embers to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory that will linger long in the memory of the Black Country.

The Reds, reigning champions but labouring through a chastening campaign, looked poised to escape with a point after Mohamed Salah ended an 11-game goal drought in the 83rd minute. Yet Andre, the Brazilian midfielder signed to little fanfare, etched his name into Wolves folklore four minutes into stoppage time, smashing a deflected effort past Alisson Becker to spark delirious scenes along the touchline and leave Arne Slot staring into the middle distance.

It was the first time the league’s bottom club had toppled the title-holders since Crystal Palace shocked Chelsea in 2017, and the statistics make grim reading for Liverpool: 14 concessions in the final 15 minutes of matches, five of those coming in the 90th minute or later – a Premier League-era record for a single season.

Slot, whose side had arrived here unbeaten in four outings, cut a frustrated figure afterwards. “Bad result,” he admitted. “We are losing far too many football games and dropping points. Was it again in extra time that we conceded? The three times we lost in the last 22 games were all in extra time.”

The Dutchman’s mood darkened further when he reviews the 78th-minute opener. Tolu Arokodare muscled Virgil van Dijk off a loose ball and slipped a precise pass to Rodrigo Gomes, who held off Ibrahima Konaté and finished coolly beyond Alisson. Liverpool’s response was swift – Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s careless square ball allowed Salah to intercept, stride into the area and beat José Sá – but the visitors never truly imposed themselves.

Andre’s clincher arrived after Alisson’s hurried clearance fell invitingly 25 yards out. The midfielder’s drive flicked off Joe Gomez, looping over the stranded goalkeeper and sealing a result that lifts Wolves to 11 points from safety with eight matches remaining, even if relegation still looms large.

The night began on a poignant note as supporters from both clubs united in applause on 18 minutes to honour Diogo Jota, the former Wolves and Liverpool forward who died in a car accident last year.

Liverpool, meanwhile, stay fifth ahead of Chelsea’s trip to Aston Villa on Wednesday; defeat for Slot’s men could see them slip further adrift of the Champions League places. They return to Molineux on Friday for an FA Cup fifth-round tie that now carries added spice.

Elsewhere, Everton ended a run of eight winless home league games by beating second-bottom Burnley 2-0. James Tarkowski headed against his old club before Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall sealed the points, leaving the Clarets eight points adrift with nine fixtures left. Sunderland edged Leeds 1-0 via Habib Diarra’s penalty, while Bournemouth and Brentford played out a 0-0 draw that did little for either side’s European aspirations.