Liverpool's quest for a top-four finish hit a stumbling block as Wolves claimed a precious point in their survival bid.
Wanderers claim valuable draw to dent Liverpool's CL hopes
Liverpool's quest for a top-four finish hit a stumbling block as Wolves claimed a precious point in their survival bid in a scrappy goalless draw at Molineux on Tuesday night.
The Reds were looking to close in on a UEFA Champions League position with maximum points against a side who had lost their last three matches and failed to score in as many games.
Rafa Benitez, whose agent has played down reports linking the Spaniard with a move to Juventus, named an attacking line-up with talismanic skipper Steven Gerrard back in the line-up after overcoming a hamstring injury while recent signing Maxi Rodriguez made his full debut on a cold night in the West Midlands.
Despite Liverpool's positive team selection, it was the hosts who created the best chances on the night as the tireless Kevin Doyle stabbed a shot a yard the wrong side of the goal before Kevin Foley missed a close-range header in the first half.
Mick McCarthy's side, who remain 17th despite the important point, faced a late onslaught from the visitors but Ronald Zubar's almost solo mission to deny the Merseysiders proved successful.
Liverpool, who move up to fifth ahead of Manchester City on goal difference, may rue their toothless display in the Black Country come the season's finish and they now trail Tottenham by three points after they beat Fulham.
Stride
It was the visitors, who had taken 10 points from the previous four games, who were quickest into their stride in the opening stages of the match.
Gerrard's second minute corner was met by the head of Albert Riera at the near post but his effort flashed across the Wolves box.
Dirk Kuyt, bubbling with confidence after his double against Tottenham, tried his luck from 20 yards out but Jody Craddock was able to make an important block.
Reds goalkeeper Jose Reina was booed every time he touched the ball by Wolves fans who remembered his part in the incident when Stephen Ward was sent off at Anfield on Boxing Day.
Liverpool enjoyed the lion's share of possession but Wolves coped comfortably and the best chance of the opening half fell to Doyle after 33 minutes in a counter-attack.
Jamie Carragher was isolated in the right-back role and unable to prevent Matt Jarvis from getting past him and sending in a low cross to the near post.
Doyle made a run across the Reds defence to attack the ball at the near post but poked his shot just wide.
Jarvis was posing the biggest threat for Wolves and another teasing centre picked out the run of Foley at the far post but his header was directed straight at Reina.
Christophe Berra got in a great challenge to halt the run of Rodriguez into the Wolves box at the expense of a corner just before half-time.
Restart
Gerrard was a peripheral figure for most of the first half but threatened after the restart when he seized onto a ball in behind from Lucas Leiva only for Berra to be alert to the situation.
Marcus Hahnemann had to be alert when back-pedalling to palm away a looping first time effort from the edge of the area by Riera.
Ward then almost played the home team into trouble with a mis-timed back pass but Hahnemann raced 20 yards out of his box to clear from Kuyt.
Doyle was impressing whenever Wolves ventured forward but would have been disappointed not to hit the target after he found some space outside the box.
Wolves were playing with increasing fluency and the belief was starting to grow amongst their young players.
Kuyt curled a 20-yard shot past the post after Gerrard enjoyed some rare freedom and the game was more of an entertaining spectacle.
Benitez made his first substitution after 67 minutes with David Ngog replacing Riera and Kuyt moving into a wider role.
The impressive Doyle drilled a left-foot shot past the post after getting past Martin Skrtel.
Skrtel was booked after 73 minutes for a lunge at Ward before McCarthy replaced Nenad Milijas with David Jones a minute later.
Liverpool huffed and puffed but lacked any sort of penetration to unlock the Wolves defence and whenever they came into a shooting position, like Gerrard did in stoppage time, the Reds players were crowded out to a valiant home defence who kept their first league clean sheet since beating Burnley mid-December.
| Wolverhampton Wanderers |
Team Statistics |
Liverpool |
| 0 |
Goals |
0 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 1 |
Shots on Target |
1 |
| 2 |
Shots off Target |
5 |
| 3 |
Blocked Shots |
2 |
| 0 |
Corners |
7 |
| 9 |
Fouls |
9 |
| 2 |
Offsides |
2 |
| 0 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 58.9 |
Passing Success |
65.2 |
| 17 |
Tackles |
18 |
| 70.6 |
Tackles Success |
61.1 |
| 46.7 |
Possession |
53.3 |
| 46.3 |
Territorial Advantage |
53.7 |
|
