GUI FEAR NO ONE!
New boss has instilled massive confidence in reborn Wolves
ONE member of the Wolves backroom team wandered out of Anfield humming the tune to ‘We’ve got super Lopetegui’.
That was before two players sang the praises of the former Real Madrid and Spain manager, who has made an immediate impact at the club.
Arriving at Anfield would be a place many sides at the wrong end of the Premier League table would fear, even if it was for an FA Cup clash.
But when you’ve managed arguably the biggest club on the planet and one of the best countries in the world, it is maybe not so daunting.
“He has no fear of who we play, whatever team we play, and that gets into us as well and then we have no fear and we play our game,” said defender Nathan Collins.
The Black Country club could – and perhaps should – already be in the FA Cup fourth round but for a VAR calamity at the end.
Keeper Alisson’s howler had gifted Goncalo Guedes the opener for Julen Lopetegui’s side before Darwin Nunez pulled it level.
Mo Salah fired the Reds in front but Lopetegui made changes and his side chased the game. They got their reward when subs Hwang Hee-Chan and Matheus Cunha combined for the South Korean to score, with the help of some rather poor defending and keeping from Liverpool.
The Wolves manager tinkered again in pursuit of a winner. Switching to a back five, they contained Liverpool’s attack but had the wing-backs to counter. Toti Gomes thought he had won it until VAR intervened (below).
They have still managed five goals in four games under the Spanish boss as Lopetegui (right) used the World Cup as a ‘mini pre-season’.
There were double sessions to boost fitness, a training camp in Marbella, tactical sessions ‘drilled in’ and video analysis is a constant.
It’s working. He made nine changes for Liverpool and still nearly won.
“It is easy to buy into the manager because of those credentials,” added Collins. “He said he trusts us, that he has belief in us and we put in a performance for him really. That is the main thing. He has given belief and confidence, he has injected a bit of energy. The relationship is just so good. We are backing each other and fighting for each other.”
The new Wolves manager hasn’t been shy in giving young players a chance. Joe Hodge, 20, had his first start against Everton on Boxing Day and impressed again on Merseyside.
“The gaffer’s just really on it with everything, keeping our standards high,” said Hodge.
“I think you can see from our performances recently how much we have improved.”
LIVERPOOL: Alisson 4, AlexanderArnold 6 (Gomez 85), Matip 5, Konate 6, Robertson 5, Henderson 6 (Keita 68, 6), Fabinho 4 (Elliott 75), Thiago 5, Salah 6 (Doak 85), Nunez 6, Gakpo 6 (OxladeChamberlain 85).
WOLVES: Sarkic 7, Lembikisa 7 (Semedo 69, 6), Collins 7, Toti 7, Jonny 7, Traore 7, Neves 7 (Nunes 63, 6), Hodge 7, Ait-Nouri 7 (Bueno Lopez 73), Jimenez 6 (Hee-Chan 63, 7), Guedes 7 (Cunha 63, 7).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Nathan Collins