This time around, Liverpool made no mistake at Molineux. They remain on the road to Wembley, and thanks to two players signed in 2017, two time-honoured club legends with now uncertain futures. Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah scored the goals that took the game away from Wolves to soothe the pain of Tuesday’s Premier League defeat. Curtis Jones’s strike completed a Friday night of far greater comfort, as Wolves crashed back to the reality of nine remaining Premier League matches before the drop comes. Their goal from Hwang Hee-chan, a substitute, came far too late.
While Arne Slot had expressed disappointment at the Premier League’s entertainment levels, a verdict hostage to fortune three days previously, his starting selection suggested an FA Cup exit could not be countenanced. Winning the trophy will not offer total job security but losing twice at the Premier League’s bottom club in the space of a few days might well have been a felling blow.
Rob Edwards’ six changes meant Wolves looked even stronger than Tuesday, though André, the winning goalscorer, was missing through suspension. With Hugo Ekitiké benched, Cody Gakpo led Liverpool’s attack, Rio Ngumoha a starter in the Dutchman’s usual left-wing role. Liverpool have missed Florian Wirtz. His return as a sub was a welcome sight.
In Molineux’s Stan Cullis Stand, two paintings of the late Diogo Jota by the former Wolves captain Jody Craddock were unveiled, a reminder of the long shadow cast over both clubs by the striker’s death.
Liverpool sought quick amends for Tuesday night’s loss. Ryan Gravenberch’s cross found Gakpo and the header had Sam Johnstone beaten but not the post. Or the offside flag. Wolves responded with vigour. Mateus Mané and Tolu Arokodare on the counterattack, with Angel Gomes in support, were a handful, particularly for Liverpool’s nervous defenders. Edwards has performed the remarkable feat of engaging the support of a club headed to the Championship, fans accepting that certain fate with gallows humour.
Last season’s title procession has faded fast in the memory for the visiting fans, their team offering little to energise them until Ngumoha made a couple of buzzing incursions. Corners were Liverpool’s main weapon of choice, a blunted one in a first half of territorial dominance, but they posed not nearly enough danger for their opponents.
Salah’s goal on Tuesday, a first since November, did not seem to have had any immediate regenerative effect. With Wolves camped in a low block throughout the first half, multiple efforts from distance were attempted, to little avail. When the ball fell to Joe Gomez, still yet to score in 11 years at Liverpool, both sets of fans anticipated the skewed effort that followed.
If the Wolves plan for the second half had been to stick to that previously successful formula of holding out for as long as possible, it was ripped up within six minutes of the restart.
Ngumoha began a counter, Jones dabbed the ball toward Robertson. This time, Johnstone found no answer to a long-range shot. This one ripped beyond Wolves’ keeper and a player who had a narrow escape in turning down a move to Tottenham had scored his first domestic goal since 2024.
Then came Salah’s moment of salvation, though one he had to wait for. The video assistant, back in commission for the fifth round, eventually ruled Salah was onside when converting Robertson’s cross. Perhaps his instincts have not fully deserted the Egyptian king.
He insisted to the linesman that his timing had been, in fact, perfect. Correctly so, for he was behind the ball when Robertson crossed. Salah kissed the turf in thanks before departing to applause, alongside a visibly tired Ngumoha, as Wirtz was introduced into proceedings in the 64th minute.
Progress was soon enough fully secured. Jones had seconds previously been interchanging with the perpetual motion of Dominik Szoboszlai, nominally a right-back but covering as much of the Molineux turf as possible. Stepping back into midfield and interchanging with Gravenberch, Jones curled the ball beyond Johnstone.
Such was their comfort that Virgil van Dijk was removed from proceedings, though so too was Alexis Mac Allister, limping off after a heavy challenge. The arrivals of Trey Nyoni and Kieran Morrison allowed Liverpool’s fledglings to take part in an occasion that passed without too much trouble as Slot was able to start thinking of Galatasaray in the Champions League in the knowledge that Liverpool continue to fight on three fronts. And that some of his leading, most experienced players were able to assert themselves.
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