Wolves 1-2 Liverpool – Mohamed Salah penalty seals win and sends Reds top of Premier League – Eurosport

Mohamed Salah struck the winner from the penalty spot as Liverpool moved clear at the top of the Premier League table with a 2-1 victory at rock-bottom Wolves.

Arne Slot’s Reds made a sluggish start but snatched the breakthrough in first-half stoppage time when Ibrahima Konate headed home his first goal in the English top-flight from Diogo Jota’s left-wing cross.

Wolves lacked a cutting edge but were gifted an equaliser on 56 minutes when Rayan Ait-Nouri pounced following a mix-up between Konate and Alisson.

Liverpool restored their advantage almost immediately as Salah snared his fifth goal of the season after comfortably beating Sam Johnstone from the penalty spot.

The result sees Liverpool move a point clear of Manchester City and Arsenal at the Premier League summit.

Wolves remain rooted to the foot of the table with just one point from six matches.

Wolves will continue their search for that elusive first win when they visit Brentford.

It is five wins from six in the top-flight under their new Dutch coach and seven out of eight in all competitions. The surprise loss at home to Nottingham Forest seems like a long time ago now with few signs that Liverpool are a weaker outfit post-Jurgen Klopp.

Bigger tests lie ahead and Slot will be well aware this was far from perfect against struggling opponents, but title challenges are built upon winning ugly and the Merseysiders are where they want to be at this early stage of the campaign.

A direct attacking threat throughout who capped another all-action return to his former stomping ground with a big hand in both Liverpool goals.

WOLVES: Johnstone 6, Semedo 6, Gomes 6, Bueno 6, Ait-Nouri 7, Andre 7, Joao Gomes 7, Lemina 7, Cunha 6, Strand Larsen 6, Bellegarde 6. Subs: Forbs 6, Hee-Chan 6, Doyle 6.

LIVERPOOL: Alisson 6, Alexander-Arnold 6, Konate 7, Van Dijk 8, Robertson 8, Mac Allister 7, Gravenberch 8, Szoboszlai 6, Salah 7, Jota 8*, Diaz 6. Subs: Gakpo 7, Jones 7, Gomez n/a.

40’ – LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Szoboszlai somehow fails to beat Johnstone from point-blank range after Robertson had put it on a plate with a sublime, low cross from the left.

45+2’ – GOAL! – Wolves 0-1 Liverpool: (Konate). It’s a first Premier League goal for Konate as he thumps a header past Johnstone from Jota’s fine run and cross from the left.

50’ – LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Salah flashes a first-time shot wide of an open goal after reading Lemina’s stray pass at the back. Wolves have looked so uncomfortable trying to play out from defence and they were very lucky there.

57’ – GOAL! – Wolves 1-1 Liverpool: (Ait-Nouri). It’s a disaster at the back for the visitors. Konate dallies and Jørgen Strand Larsen nips in to cut it back for Forbs. The forward misses his kick but it falls kindly for Ait-Nouri to gleefully sweep home from close-in.

61’ – GOAL! – Wolves 1-2 Liverpool: (Salah penalty). The Merseysiders restore their advantage as Salah sends Johnstone the wrong way from the spot. The penalty was awarded after Semedo pulled back Jota in the box.