In a FA Cup showdown, Liverpool is up against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Both sides are immensely struggling this season, with Wolves clearly in the relegation zone while Liverpool is oddly in sixth place in the Premier League.
For a side used to competing for the EPL title, Liverpool is experiencing their worst form since Jurgen Klopp’s first season in charge. The Reds hope to make a successful run in the Emirates FA Cup to assure them of silverware this season. Meanwhile, the Wolves are just trying to hang in this season, and a good cup run might help them attract quality players in case they turn their season around.
Liverpool’s Latest News
Liverpool enjoyed an excellent start to the return of the Premier League, but their last outing was simply nothing to be proud of. In an abysmal performance by the Merseyside Red against Brentford, Liverpool lost three goals to one. What is simply an insult to injury in this game is that Liverpool was without their best player Ivan Toney.
Van Dijk’s Injury
Besides their fiery attack, the current squad is infamous for their defensive prowess. The man behind the squad’s strong defense is no other than Virgil Van Dijk. The Dutch International has been impressive for Liverpool since he signed from Southampton in 2018. Almost flawless, the defender has played a key part in Jurgen Klopp’s success in Liverpool so far.
In the game against Brentford, the Dutch defender was substituted at halftime for what seemed to be an injury scare. After the game, manager Jurgen Klopp acknowledged that he didn’t think the situation was “serious” and that Van Dijk wanted to stay. But it appears the Reds will be without their star center-back for much longer. His hamstring is reportedly in worse shape than what initial evaluations on Monday suggested.
Latest Transfer Rumors
- Jurgen Klopp is known for his immense recognition of talent, and he has done that yet away with the signing of one of Europe’s most wanted young talents, Cody Gakpo. Liverpool secured the transfer of the Dutch International from PSV Eindhoven to make him their first signing of the January transfer window. Because they spent a fortune on Darwin Nunez in the summer, Liverpool initially had no intention of adding a forward in January. However, the club accelerated their interest and signed the 23-year-old to what appears to be a long-term contract as a result of injuries to Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz as well as competitive interest.
- Teun Koopmeiners, a midfielder for Atalanta, has apparently caught Liverpool’s eye recently. The 24-year-old Netherlands international, who led his country at the age of 21, played in the World Cup and is a stalwart at the club level after moving from AZ Alkmaar 18 months ago. Koopmeiners, a left-footed player who can play in many areas, may be the ideal long-term alternative for Fabinho, given Liverpool’s need for a midfield upgrade.
Wolverhampton’s Latest News
The Wolves are still looking for some sort of form this season. They have consistency issues, and in their last three games, there has been a loss, a win, and a draw. In their previous outing, they faced a struggling Aston Villa side and could rescue only one point. Wolves took the early lead via Podence, but Aston Villa fired back in the second half to bring the game to level terms.
Wolves’ Change In Head Coach
Days before the World Cup, Wolves had a managerial change as Bruno Lage was replaced by former Real Madrid’s head coach Julen Lopetegui. Lopetegui has previously managed Sevilla, Real Madrid, and Spain, and one of his impressive feats was winning the Europa League with Sevilla in the 2019-20 season. He has had good results since taking the helm, but the Wolves still languish at the bottom of the Premier League table.
Latest Transfer Rumors
- The Wolves striker issue might finally be put to rest with the signing of Brazilian striker Matheus Cunha. Cunha, 23, will join the club on January 1 on a temporary loan from Athletico Madrid before committing to a four-year contract at the end of the current campaign for a potential sum of up to 40 million euros (£35 million). He is the first acquisition made by the newly appointed Julen Lopetegui at Wolves, who took over last month. The Atletico Madrid attacker played 370 minutes this season but only saw action in two starts in La Liga.
- Atalanta goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini, who was most recently on loan at Tottenham before Antonio Conte decided against signing the Italian international to a permanent contract, is attracting interest from Wolves. With Jose Sa expected to return to Bergamo this month following yet another unsuccessful loan stint this season, this time at ACF Fiorentina, Julen Lopetegui is ready to add some competition in goalkeeping. Gollini is being considered a possibility.
Match Details
- Date: Saturday, January 7, 2023
- Time: 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- Venue: Anfield, Liverpool, England
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Match Predictions And Tips
Liverpool is the obvious favorite in this game. Losing their last outing has little or no effect on the outcome of this game, as Jurgen Klopp rarely crashes out of a tournament in the early stages. Wolves might look potent, especially after adding a new striker to the squad, but Liverpool is the better team and is tipped to win this game. The odds for Liverpool to win will bring a meager return for our bettors; that’s why we’ve made a better in-depth analysis of this game.
- The best pick for this game is for both teams to score. Wolves will not go down without a fight, and Liverpool’s recent form on defense is not the best, also considering they will be without Virgil Van Dijk makes them more vulnerable. The odds for both teams to score stand at 2.00 (decimal) and +100 (American).
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