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The FA Cup is always full of surprises. Liverpool visited Wolves for a Third Round clash tonight, and we saw more of the same. Coming off a loss to Manchester City, Liverpool looked to bounce back and continue its hunt for trophies. Wolves needed a big result to get through to the next round. For Liverpool, it was an evening to forget. For Wolves, it was an evening to celebrate.
Liverpool opted for a makeshift starting 11. Lining up in a 4-3-3, the Reds opted for Origi, Sturridge and Shaqiri up front, Keita, Milner and youngster Curtis Jones in the midfield three, and Moreno, Fabinho, Lovren and youngster Rafael Camacho started at the back. Alisson was rested and Simon Mignolet stepped in goal.
Wolves started a strong lineup. Lining up in a 3-1-4-2, Jimenez and Jota led the line with Moutinho sitting underneath them, Jonny, Dendoncker, Neves and Vinagre in the midfield, and Bennett, Coady, and Boly in the back three. John Ruddy started in goal.
Within the first five minutes, Lovren went off clutching his thigh. Klopp had the option to put on Trent Alexander-Arnold for the injured Lovren, but he instead opted to put on 16-year-old Ki-Jana Hoever, who performed admirably at center back for 85 minutes. Liverpool looked dull in the first half, barely going forward and dealing with some tactical problems.
A mistake by James Milner sent Jota and Jimenez on a quick-fire attack to score the first goal on 38 minutes. Wolves kept the pressure up all the way to halftime, with a few chances falling to Neves, Vinagre and Jimenez again before the whistle.
Wolves started the second half the same way they ended the first, with quick moves going forward and creating a plethora of chances. Liverpool fixed some of the tactical issues nagging them in the first half, with Origi scoring through the legs of Dendoncker and leaving Ruddy with no chance.
Great finish from Divock Origi. pic.twitter.com/wDY0VO8ZEq
— Will (@dug_8) January 7, 2019
Four minutes later, however, Ruben Neves scored an absolutely beautiful goal for Wolves to take the lead. Mignolet had absolutely no chance.
Xherdan Shaqiri had an absolutely fantastic free kick lightly touched onto the post by John Ruddy to keep Wolves in the lead. Immediately after the free kick, Mohamed Salah and Firmino were brought on to force the replay. Not much happened after that, although Liverpool did look better after the last two substitutes came on. Wolves continued to put players forward and forced Liverpool back to the end of the match.
Wolves were excellent this evening. Neves, Jimenez, Vinagre, Jonny and Moutinho controlled the game and made the difference in the attack. Boly was the standout in the back. Liverpool didn’t look like themselves. While they had a makeshift lineup, they had more than enough talent to win the match. Shaqiri and youngster Ki-Jana Hoever were the standouts of the match. Liverpool struggled for most of the game and didn't provide much going forward spare Origi's goal.
Wolves will face either Shrewsbury or Stoke City in the FA Cup Fourth Round, while Liverpool will now be looking ahead to its match against Brighton on Saturday.
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