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By DOMINIC KING Published: 04: 57 AEDT, 28 December 2025 | Updated: 05: 58 AEDT, 28 December 2025 14 View comments The match was listless. Liverpool huffed, Wolves puffed and, by the end, the reigning champions had done just about enough to creep over the line. There was a goal for Florian Wirtz, at long last. It was the decisive one, too. The German, all £116million of him, treated the crowd to some beautiful touches, often giving the impression the ball was made of cloth and his boots were covered in Velcro, such was his ability to make things stick. Wirtz tried to lift Liverpool above the ordinary but it wasn’t easy and Wolves made things difficult. They are going to be relegated and they matched the unwanted feat of Bolton Wanderers in 1902-03, of a top-flight team failing to win any of their opening 18 games. Yet Rob Edwards, their new head coach, will have left Anfield feeling upbeat. Wolves played with heart and, with a bit more quality, would have caused Liverpool greater problems as they pushed for an equaliser in the dying moments. Here, just when it was needed, was a pleasing show of character. ‘In the last 20 minutes, we made it a bit difficult, ’ Wirtz noted. ‘I cannot explain why. We have to change that. That's how we want to do it. We want to be there and be on top of the table. It's not been an easy start for us but we're doing better and getting the points. ’ A lot of what Wirtz said was true, not least the reference to the start not being easy. Liverpool have been through the mill this season and, in normal circumstances, you would have looked at this performance and found plenty of possibilities to pick holes in what they did. Florian Wirtz (right) scored his first goal for Liverpool in their 2-1 victory over Wolves The German latched on to a through ball from Hugo Ekitike before slotting home  Diogo Jota's sons wore Liverpool kits bearing their father's shirt number before the game Ryan Gravenberch netted the opener before paying tribute to Jota with his celebration On this occasion, however, everything must be tempered. This wasn’t an easy afternoon for anyone and there was a jolting reminder of what is really important in life in the moments before kick-off, when two little boys scampered around the Kop end penalty box. The last time they had been here was on May 25, a day of colour and joy. They had Liverpool kits on then, too, so big for them you almost couldn’t see their little arms and legs. A few feet away, their father watched on, bursting with pride, a Premier League winners’ medal dangling from his neck. Seven months on, Dinis and Duarte Jota are trying to adjust to life without their Dad, Diogo. This was the type of game he would have enlivened with his presence, guile and mischief; for it to be used instead as a chance for to appreciative sets of fans to honour his memory was tragically surreal. How many children of Dinis and Duarte’s age will have pottered around this Christmas, kicking balls that were the same size as them in brand new kits? On the sideline, Jota’s wife Rute tried to smile, as she watched Virgil van Dijk look after her boys, but you can see her heart is broken beyond repair. So, no, this wasn’t an afternoon for conclusions. It was an afternoon to get through, for those in old gold to sing in the 18th minute and those in red to follow suit in the 20th minute, uniting in their love for Jota and his brother, Andre Silva. ‘It was difficult but in a way it was also special and nice, ’ said Arne Slot, Liverpool’s head coach. ‘The football world showed how to behave in moments like this. Our fans have been incredible since the tragedy happened. Every single moment they did what you would hope they do in memory of him. ‘Today the away fans showed it is not only about our fans. In the 18th minute they started singing, the Wolves fans and ours were clapping and in the 20th it was the other way around. You guys know how special English fans are and today we showed to the world. ’ These were sentiments with which Edwards agreed. The Wolves squad visited Anfield on Friday evening to pay their respects at the floral garden. The Reds conceded in the second half to set up a nervy finish but held out for three points  Jeremie Frimpong was back in Arne Slot's starting line-up and proved effective  Jota's sons - Dinis and Duarte - led Liverpool out at Anfield alongside captain Virgil van Dijk LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1); Alisson 6: Frimpong 8, Konate 6, Van Dijk 7, Kerkez 6. 5: Jones 7, Gravenberch 7: Chiesa 6 (Bradley 61mins 6), Mac Allister 7, Wirtz 8. 5 (Nyoni 90+3): Ekitike 7 (Gakpo 86mins) Goals: Gravenberch (41), Wirtz (42) Booked: Head Coach: Arne Slot 6. 5 WOLVES (3-4-2-1): Sa 7, Mosquera 6 (Arias 79mins), Santiago Bueno 7, Krejci 6: Doherty 6 (Tchatchoua 62mins 7), Andre 7, Joao Gomes 7, Hugo Bueno 7 (Moller-Wolfe 62mins 7): Mane 7. 5, Hwang 6 (Strand-Larsen 62mins): Arokodare 7 Goals: Santiago Bueno (52) Booked: Andre Manager: Rob Edwards 6 Attendance: Referee: S Hooper 6 ‘It was a real poignant moment and emotional for our staff and players who knew him really well, ’ said Edwards.   ‘I thought it was right and good we did that to pay our respects. With his family here as well today, it would have been really emotional. Both clubs are really classy as well. ’ Edwards agreed that it was a difficult experience, the atmosphere unusual.   He wasn’t insensitive to suggest that Wolves made it that way with the spirit of their efforts in the second period, when Santiago Bueno became the 12th player to score from a set piece against Liverpool. Wolves are trying to reverse a seemingly hopeless position but this refusal not to give up was a quality that leapt out of Jota.   He would have expected them to go right to the end, as he didn’t know how to do anything else. But Liverpool, in the one thrilling period of play, took the contest away from Wolves with goals in the 41st minute from Ryan Gravenberch – beautifully assisted by Jeremie Frimpong – and Wirtz, who ran away beating his chest in relief and delight. ‘It was very nice the feeling on the pitch with the fans around, ’ said Wirtz.   ‘I was confident I would score one day. I wanted to start earlier scoring and assisting but it was like this and I have to accept it.    'I just know that it will come and I try to keep going. ’

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