Liverpool FC produced a solid performance away at Wolverhampton Wanderers, with several players stepping up on the night as the Reds cruised into the quarter finals of the FA Cup. Here is how the Liverpool players rated after an encouraging display.
Alisson – 6
Alisson Becker was largely a virtual spectator for most of the evening. Wolves rarely tested him, but when called upon he dealt with everything calmly. Thankfully, there were no nervy moments with his clearances this time.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 7
Dominik Szoboszlai once again showed his work rate and versatility. The Hungarian was less involved when drifting into a right-back role, but still helped Liverpool move the ball into dangerous areas and ran tirelessly throughout. He was caught out for Hwang Hee-chan’s late consolation goal, although it is fair to remember that right-back is not his natural position.
Joe Gomez – 7
Joe Gomez delivered a calm and composed performance. When he plays at this level, it only highlights how unfortunate his injury record has been. Solid defensively and comfortable in possession.
Virgil van Dijk – 7
Captain Virgil van Dijk looked determined to put the midweek frustrations behind him and did exactly that. He kept striker Tolu Arokodare quiet, winning three of his four aerial duels and controlling the defence well.
Andy Robertson – 8
Andrew Robertson rolled back the years with an excellent performance. His cross for Liverpool’s second goal was vintage Robertson. Statistically he dominated the game: the most touches (125), most passes completed (95), most passes into the final third (20) and the most chances created (four).
Ryan Gravenberch – 7
After a difficult outing previously at Molineux, Ryan Gravenberch responded well. He helped Liverpool control the midfield with some clever dribbles and also chipped in with an assist.
Alexis Mac Allister – 6
Alexis Mac Allister had another tough battle against a physical midfield. While he struggled at times in the duels, he kept working hard and contributed defensively. He won four of his eleven duels but still made the second-most defensive actions for Liverpool.
Mohamed Salah – 6
Mohamed Salah was involved in Liverpool’s opening goal and later got on the scoresheet himself, but it still did not feel like the very best version of the Egyptian. Even so, his quality remains vital for Liverpool in moments like these.
Curtis Jones – 8
Curtis Jones produced one of his best displays in recent weeks. He scored, provided an assist and remarkably did not misplace a single pass during the game. After a difficult spell, this was a big response from the Liverpool midfielder.
Rio Ngumoha – 8 (Man of the Match)
Youngster Rio Ngumoha was the standout performer. His dribbling brought energy and excitement to Liverpool’s attack and gave the team something they have been lacking recently. He had the most touches in the opposition box (nine) and won more duels than any Liverpool player. Performances like this will surely increase calls for him to start more often.
Cody Gakpo – 5
Cody Gakpo worked hard but struggled to influence the game from the centre-forward position. He had the fewest touches of any Liverpool starter (30) and managed only one blocked shot during the match.
Substitutes
Florian Wirtz – 6
Florian Wirtz made a welcome return from the bench and looked sharp in his short appearance.
Jeremie Frimpong – 7
Jeremie Frimpong’s pace caused Wolves problems late in the match and added extra attacking threat.
Ibrahima Konaté – 6
Ibrahima Konaté came on late and almost added a goal but should probably have scored.
Trey Nyoni – 6
Trey Nyoni gained more valuable minutes and experience in midfield.
Kieran Morrison – 6
Kieran Morrison also came on late and will benefit from the experience of featuring in a competitive match.
Unused substitutes: Giorgi Mamardashvili, Milos Kerkez, Federico Chiesa, Hugo Ekitike.
Manager
Arne Slot – 7
Arne Slot will likely argue that the biggest difference from the previous meeting with Wolves was Liverpool taking their chances early. His players also seemed to follow his instructions to move the ball quicker and play with more purpose, which made a noticeable difference to the performance.
Overall Team Performance: 7
If you want, I can also give you 8 strong headline ideas for this ratings article — player ratings posts often do very well for football blogs and can bring another few hundred views.
Jamie (The Kopite View)

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