Liverpool to win – 1/2
Victory over Wolves on Friday night means Jurgen Klopp’s side can’t be knocked off their f***ing perch until Boxing Day at the earliest – and if that’s not motivation enough that’ll make the Christmas Day turkey a little tastier, we don’t know what is.
Wolves actually beat the Reds 2-1 at Anfield in the FA Cup when the sides met last season (they clash again in the Cup next month) but this is their first Premier League face-off since Nuno Santo’s side were promoted.
Let’s look at the facts.
Liverpool are on a six-game winning run in the Premier League. Dodgy Everton keeper and deflections aside, it’s still very impressive. They’ve scored 16 goals and are playing with real belief as they look to keep an 18-game unbeaten run in the top tier alive.
Wolves are punching well above their weight and sit seventh in the table after three wins on the bounce against Chelsea, Newcastle and Bournemouth. And while they’re no pushovers, they did suffer home reversals against Watford, Spurs & Huddersfield before getting their act together recently.
We see nothing other than a Liverpool win at 1/2. Sorry Everton fans.
Both teams to score: Yes – 20/23
While Wolves sit on a zero mark in the goal difference stakes, one thing they always seem to get their teeth into is goals at Molineux.
They’ve played nine games at home in the Premier League so far this season, and only two sides, Watford and Huddersfield, have managed to hold them to a blank.
Don’t be surprised to see them pick off a consolation at some stage in this one, especially with talent like Raúl Jiménez, Ivan Cavaleiro, Diogo Jota and the flying full-back Matt Doherty in their ranks.
As for Liverpool’s goal scoring prospects, you only need to say the three little words football fans love to hear: Salah, Mane, Firmino.
Need we say anymore?
First Goalscorer: Mohamed Salah – 10/3
Let’s not overcomplicate this, his record speaks for itself.
The Egyptian King has been especially adept at lording it over the weaker sides in the Premier League this season. He’s scored the first goal in seven of Liverpool’s 17 league games so far.
Brighton, West Ham, Huddersfield, Fulham, Watford, Cardiff and Bournemouth have all seen their defences breached by the last season’s player of the year to break the deadlock when facing the current league leaders – how did those strugglers they faced last week keep him at bay?
Wolves would certainly fit the profile for another Salah salvo early on.
They kept a clean sheet against Bournemouth in their last game, but that was the first time they’d stopped their opponents scoring since early October’s visit to the goal wasteland of Selhurst Park.
If they’re leaking goals, little Mo is the most likely to take advantage. We’d take him to score first at 10/3.
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*All odds correct at time of posting