Liverpool weren’t convincing in their 2-1 victory away to Wolves on Saturday, but their ability to get the job done was hailed by the media.
Arne Slot‘s side battled their way to three crucial points at Molineux, never finding their best form but still going top of the Premier League.
Ibrahima Konate‘s opener was cancelled out by a weak Rayan Ait-Nouri equaliser, but Mohamed Salah won it with a penalty shortly after.
Here’s how the media reacted to Liverpool’s win.
It wasn’t convincing but the Reds top the pile in the league…
The Telegraph‘s Mike McGrath thinks it bodes well for Slot that his team are top of the table but not at full tilt:
“Arne Slot has plenty of experience of being at the summit from winning the Dutch title with Feyenoord but this is new territory as Liverpool manager: top of the Premier League table looking down on the rest.
[…]“It is early days for Slot and this team but they have seven wins from eight games this season with potential to get better. They are as stingy as any team this season, with Rayan Ait-Nouri’s leveller just the second goal conceded after a rare mistake.
“On this evidence, Slot’s team will be happy to soak pressure at times and allow their opponents to have the ball, before striking with efficiency when they move forwards.
“It might not be dominant football but it is ruthless and meant they went to sleep top of the table for the first time this season.”
Echoing a similar opinion, Will Unwin of the Guardian felt the Reds’ quality in the final third proved to be key:
“It did not feel like bottom v top as Wolves succumbed to Liverpool.
“There was not a stark difference between the teams but, unsurprisingly, those now sitting at the summit possessed the greater quality in the critical moments as Liverpool showed they could win without playing well, a trait any team challenging for the title require.
[…]“It was not pretty for Liverpool, but when you are looking down on everyone else, it is more about enjoying the view than worrying about the aesthetics of the platform.”
On Twitter, David Lynch gave a fair assessment of the game, hailing Liverpool’s ability to get over the line:
“Liverpool not wholly convincing at times today but then they’ve just won to go top six league games into Arne Slot‘s reign.
“The fact is, it’s been a better start than most would have hoped for and winning when not at your best is very, very important.”
The Mirror‘s Jacob Leeks was another who focused on the Reds’ table-topping exploits:
“Arne Slot has enjoyed a brilliant start to life at Liverpool, with his side’s fine form continuing at Molineux. The first-half was a frustrating one for the visitors as they struggled to break down a stubborn Wolves side.
“It was not quite plain sailing for the Reds, despite Ibrahima Konate finally breaking Wolves‘ resistance at the end of the first-half.
“The win means Liverpool have lept up into top spot having started the game in fourth following the lunchtime and 3pm kick-offs.
“Few people were expecting a title challenge in Slot’s first season as Liverpool boss. But other than the defeat to Nottingham Forest two weeks ago, the Reds have won every game, which certainly bodes well.”
It was a day of hit-and-miss performances by Liverpool players, though…
On Twitter, the Mail‘s Dominic King heaped praise on the unrivalled Virgil van Dijk:
“It’s hard to find new ways to talk about Virgil van Dijk but the last few games have shown a) there isn’t a better central defender in the Premier League and b) his importance to Liverpool.
“He’s playing with another three gears in reserve, almost making tests such as this easy.”
Leeks focused on a Jekyll and Hyde showing from Konate, who scored but also had a nightmare for Ait-Nouri’s goal:
“It was truly a game of two halves for Ibrahima Konate at the heart of Liverpool’s defence. The defender put in an excellent first-half performance, winning three of his four defensive duels and making two interceptions.
“And with the Reds’ attackers struggling to break down their opponents, the centre-back also proved key at the other end of the pitch. He rose highest to power in a header right at the end of the first-half to hand Liverpool the lead.
“But the second-half proved to be a difficult time for the Frenchman. It was Konate’s mix-up with Alisson which allowed Strand Larsen to dispossess him, with Rayan Ait-Nouri firing in an equaliser.
“Konate was then booked for a late tackle on Matheus Cunha, but did recover to make an excellent goal-saving tackle later on.”
It was also another impressive display by Ryan Gravenberch, who was a strong Man of the Match contender:
Ryan Gravenberch’s defensive stats (via @FotMob) ? pic.twitter.com/cBQCeVluSI
— Matt Ladson (@mattladson) September 28, 2024
On the Dutchman, GOAL‘s Tom Maston wrote:
“Gets better with every game. Barely lost possession in midfield as he proved press-resistant before playing some excellent passes.”
