Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wolves boss Rob Edwards, spoke to BBC Sport after his side's defeat by Liverpool: "I just thought they were really good. They are the champions. Sometimes you have got to say 'credit where credit is due' and they were better than us.

"The big thing I have just said to the lads was the second goal within probably 30 seconds of the first. We were still in the game at 1-0 and anything can happen. It was a really disappointing goal to concede and it was going to be really difficult.

"I thought they were outstanding and better than us."

On what the consolation goal shows: "They are going to keep fighting. What we've got now is eight cup finals [in the Premier League]. We have a few days now to rest. The lads have given a lot. They have began to get some hope and there is a different feel around the place at the moment. We have to make sure we come back rejuvinated in what is a cup final."

On current momentum: "I think we are building some momentum and cecause we have such a short squad it is not a bad thing at all. Everybody enjoys a few days rest and a reset."

On whether there is any belief they could escape relegation: "All focus will be on Brentford. If we can get a positive result in that one, we just want to take it as far as we can. Regardless of what happens, we will fight all the way until the end of the 38 games."

Did you know?

• Wolves suffered their 22nd defeat of the season in all competitions, one more than in the whole of last season (21). It's their most in a single campaign since 2016-17 (also 22), and most as a Premier League club since 2011-12 (25).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Wolves' performance

What did you make of Liverpool's display?

Come back on Saturday for a selection of your replies

Rob Edwards makes six changes for Wolves following their last-gasp 2-1 Premier League win over Liverpool on Tuesday.

Sam Johnstone, Yerson Mosquera, Toti Gomes, Hugo Bueno, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Tolu Arokodare return.

Jose Sa is out with an ankle injury while Tom Edozie comes into the squad for the suspended Andre.

Wolves XI: Johnstone, Tchatchoua, Mosquera, S Bueno, Toti, H Bueno, J Gomes, A Gomes, Bellegarde, Mane, Arokodare,

Subs: Bentley, Lima, Doherty, Krejci, Wolfe, R Gomes, Edozie, Hwang, Armstrong.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot makes four changes with the Reds hunting revenge at Molineux.

Joe Gomez, Andy Robertson, Curtis Jones and Rio Ngumoha start for the visitors.

Florian Wirtz is on the bench after a back issue with Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Ibrahima Konate joining him.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Jones, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Gakpo, Ngumoha, Salah.

Subs: Mamardashvili, Konate, Kerkez, Wirtz, Chiesa, Ekitike, Frimpong, Nyoni, Morrison.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Referee Tom Kirk has been ruled wrong to send off Ladislav Krejci against Crystal Palace.

The versatile defender was dismissed in the last-gasp 1-0 defeat at Selhurst Park after collecting two bookings.

Yet the Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel [KMI] - which reviews the big refereeing decisions each week - has ruled Krejci should not have been cautioned for his first offence, when he brought down Ismaila Sarr.

Just three minutes later he was issued a second yellow card for kicking the ball away and delaying the restart.

Palace went onto win the game after Evann Guessand's injury-time winner.

"The first challenge by Krejci was clearly not reckless or stopping a promising attack and therefore, the caution was ruled incorrect," wrote the five-person panel, which was unanimous in their decision.

"The second caution for delaying the restart was supported as correct but overall, the referee's decision to send off for two bookable offences was incorrect."

Krejci was banned for the 2-0 win over Aston Villa but returned for Tuesday's late 2-1 victory over Liverpool.

The Czech international joined initially on loan from Girona with Wolves able to make the deal permanent for £26m once certain clauses are met.

Wolves are bottom of the Premier League, 12 points from safety and have eight games left.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Mateus Mane has been the brightest spot in Wolves' bleak season, which will end in relegation with Rob Edwards' side having won just three games this season.

In his breakthrough campaign, he has started every Premier League game since making his full debut against Liverpool at Anfield in December.

He faces the Reds again in the FA Cup on Friday at Molineux - three days after Tuesday's dramatic 2-1 injury-time win in the Premier League.

Just weeks into his top-flight career Mane is used to big games.

Two years after being on the bench for Rochdale in the National League, Mane is already becoming a household name.

Soon after moving to England he started to admire Manchester City pair Sergio Aguero and David Silva and tried to copy Neymar after watching YouTube clips.

Having joined City Select Academy, Mane played for Manchester Cobras as a youngster as well as Moston Brook FC.

There was little time for much more, yet he still gave parents a run for their money.

"They'd say I was a bit cheeky as a child, but I was a young kid," he said. "Every kid can be cheeky and I'll say I was hard work for my parents. Most of the time I feel like I've grown up, I matured."

Mane still goes home on a Sunday, when fixtures allow, to go to church and his maturity is showing on the pitch too after joining Rochdale's academy in 2023 aged 15.

It was run then by Tony Ellis - now Wolves' head of northern recruitment - with Mane asked to sign after his first training session.

"He lit the place up. He's technical, his attributes were ridiculous for such a young boy," recalled Ellis, who also recommended the frontman to Wolves.

"The way he received the ball, the way he drove, his decision-making. Just a technically good footballer.

"He was happy in the environment, always had a ball, always communicating with players and staff.

"When you'd finished the session, he'd be the first one to go and put the cones away or get the balls. He gained the trust of staff and players really, really quickly."

Read more on Mane's rise to the Premier League here

Matt Jones
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Three days on from their dramatic Premier League encounter, Wolves and Liverpool meet again. This time it's in the FA Cup, as both sides look for a silver lining to what have been disappointing domestic seasons.

Wolves are at the bottom of the Premier League table and remain almost certain to go down, despite their last-gasp win over the Reds on Tuesday. Head coach Rob Edwards replaced Vitor Pereira 11 games into the top-flight season and has improved the side significantly. In recent home games, he has sparked some much-needed positivity too.

With a Premier League miracle looking slim, this competition has taken on extra significance for Wolves. There is precedent for cup success from a similar situation: Wigan Athletic won the trophy and were relegated in the same season in 2013.

Liverpool have also fallen short of their admittedly much grander aims this season. After winning the Premier League title last year and then spending £450m in the summer, they were expected to compete on all fronts.

They remain in contention to win the FA Cup and the Champions League, but the defence of their Premier League crown has been limp; they trail leaders Arsenal by 19 points.

A trophy would sweeten what has been an underwhelming campaign and even though they are dealing with a number of injury issues, Liverpool have the talent to compete for a top-five berth, the European Cup and potentially two trips to Wembley during the run-in.

Head coach Arne Slot remains under scrutiny. The Dutchman would surely secure at least another season at Anfield if he were to hoist a piece of silverware in May. But after Tuesday's defeat, progress in this competition suddenly seems a lot less certain and much more important.

Did you know?

• Liverpool beat Wolves for the first time in the FA Cup in 2023 in a third-round replay. They won 1-0 at Molineux after the two sides drew 2-2 at Anfield.

Image source, Getty Images

More VAR controversy in prospect?

Video assistant referees are in place from the fifth round having previously not been used.

There was VAR controversy when the two teams met in the FA Cup at Anfield in 2023.

Wolves had a potential late winner ruled out for offside, but it could not be checked as VAR had no camera angle available to provide any evidence to overturn the decision.

Wolves manager Rob Edwards shares why the FA Cup is so important to him before Friday's fifth-round tie against Liverpool.

Wolves boss Rob Edwards might have been thinking his bottom-of-the-table Premier League side have a chance of 'the great escape' after they beat Liverpool on Tuesday.

So, seeing two of the three teams immediately above them, West Ham and Nottingham Forest, pick up points on Wednesday was a shame for Wolves, just when they had given themselves that little bit of hope.

Still, their recent results and performances have been much improved. Edwards has given Wolves fans something to smile about, and he will want to maintain that positivity here.

This is a big game for Liverpool boss Arne Slot, too.

The FA Cup could be important for him this season, so he cannot just focus on Tuesday's last-16 trip to Galatasaray in the Champions League.

After three successive Premier League wins, Tuesday's loss was another stumble for Slot's side in the race for the top four.

They were fortunate Manchester United and Aston Villa lost as well, but Chelsea's win at Villa meant the Reds are outside the top five now too.

With the heat that is around him, I don't think Slot is in a position where he can afford to play a weakened side here - he has to go strong to try to avoid another shock result.

I still think we will see another surprise, though.

Wolves are going to throw everything at Liverpool. They are still going down, but can they make it to Wembley too?

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Wolves boss Rob Edwards has been speaking to the media before Friday's FA Cup fifth-round tie against Liverpool at Molineux (kick-off 20:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Edwards confirmed they have no new injury concerns following their match midweek, with just Andre set to miss out because of two bookings in previous rounds.

• After taking seven points from three league games against teams in the top six, the Wolves boss said it has taken "a lot of hard work" but it is "nice to have some rewards in points" and his side "deserve a lot of credit for competing with the top teams".

• On the character being shown by the players: "We have a bare minimum - our non-negotiables. Sprint recoveries, work ethic, duels. The sprint effort is now night and day. We are in control of those things. We can't always promise we will be great with the ball, we might make mistakes, but what we can control is how hard you run and work. That stuff is why over the past 15 games or so we have been more competitive."

• Playing Liverpool for the second time in the space of four days, Edwards knows the "scale of the task" and they have to "respect" the Reds as a team: "They will want to get the win and want to prove they are better after Tuesday night, but we have to try to make them relive it."

• On squad rotation for the FA Cup tie: "We made some changes knowing what was coming up... It is hard to prioritise one game or the other. Now Friday is the most important game of our season. Tuesday was the most important of our season at that moment. So it is really difficult and about picking a team to win a game of football."

• Edwards insisted the players are ready for the "big challenge" of the quick turnaround in matches, as it is "not hard to get up for Liverpool in the FA Cup fifth round under the lights at Molineux".

• On staying in matches until the hour and then making changes: "Against some teams we have conceded early and made it challenging. We don't want to give teams a helping hand. We have to be in it but not to be seen as negative. If we have a platform build off then there is the pressure on the other team as they have to beat Wolves."

Hit play above to hear more from Edwards or listen on BBC Sounds here

Listen to full commentary of Wolves v Liverpool in the FA Cup fifth round from 20:00 GMT on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio WM on BBC Sounds

How to follow the FA Cup fifth round on the BBC

Got a question about Wolves? Get in touch here and we'll put it to our experts

Pundits Micah Richards and Danny Murphy join host Mark Chapman to bring you the action and talking points from the midweek Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier on Wednesday, following fans' responses to Wolves' late win over Liverpool on Tuesday night, we asked how you were feeling about the club's chances of escaping relegation now.

At the time of writing, the response was pretty split...

• We are long gone! - 27%

• We are staying up! - 23%

• Not enough games left - 18%

• Cautiously optimistic - 14%

• Our chances keep getting better - 7%

• It will be close but we will just miss out - 6%

• Can't decide - 4%

You can add your selection here

Wolves defender Ladislav Krejci says you "never know what can happen" after the side's late win over Liverpool.

After picking up seven points in their past four Premier League games, including a comeback draw against leaders Arsenal and win over West Midlands rivals Aston Villa, Wolves have given themselves the faintest chance of staying up this season.

Speaking to BBC Radio WM after the match, Krejci said: "Very important [win] for us, for our confidence.

"We showed we can beat the top teams in the table. Very good for us for upcoming games because there is still belief there. You never know what can happen so we will continue.

"I'm happy for everyone, for the players, the staff, the fans, that we can have this time now after not an easy period.

"We are working very hard and waiting for the situations. This is the moment, this is the situation we are in. We know we will not outplay for 90 minutes everyone, but we know with the right mentality we can wait for our moments and make this [happen]."

Listen to full interview by pressing play above or over on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Wolves' late win over Liverpool in the Premier League on Tuesday night.

Here are some of your comments:

Mel: The Wolf pack is gathering momentum and if only Rob Edwards had been in place at the beginning of the season, our club would be in a much better situation! Fosun Group please don't sell any further family jewels. Keep this team together and the future will look brighter for our club.

Rhys: Don't care what you say, Championship football isn't looking likely.

Peter: I'll bet Spurs, West Ham and Nottingham Forest fans are a little bit more uncomfortable than they were a fortnight ago! This could be the greatest survival story in the history of the league!

Simon: What a match! Some great moments of play from Wolves, a fair amount of luck with woodwork and snatching a win from a draw was fantastic. It feels like the players are finally up to speed with Edwards' philosophy and getting to grips with the league, it's just a shame it has taken so long for the players to settle. Hopefully more performances like that for the rest of the season and take the momentum into next season.

Dave: Fantastic spirit. Everyone fighting for the team. A totally different vibe about the place. It seems you make your own luck, as everything was turning against us at the death in the past and now it's going the other way.

Peter: Fabulous win. That's seven points from Arsenal, Aston Villa and Liverpool. If the club hierarchy hadn't thrown the towel in in January and, instead of reducing the squad size, had brought in a bit more quality, who knows where we would be - Fosun got it wrong again!

Mike: It's never over until it's over! We are now playing like a real team, which is far better than the sum of its parts. Brilliant job, Rob Edwards.

Is the great escape still a possibility for Wolves?

Make your choice here

Image source, Getty Images

Wolves podcaster Ryan Leister says the club have "restored some pride" after their impressive wins over Aston Villa and Liverpool.

"This would be the greatest of great escapes," he told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast about the Old Gold's survival chances.

"Mathematically there is still definitely a chance. Let's just win our next game. It's an enormous task.

"We'd have to win basically every game and we know that's not possible so we're just going to enjoy the here and now.

"We've won our local derby, we've beaten the current Premier League champions.

"It's been an incredible few days. Rob Edwards has split the fanbase a little bit but he'll have won a lot of Wolves fans over with these two wins and his celebrations.

"Credit to Rob and the team, an absolutely fantastic performance and result tactically.

"It was a brilliant performance. Let's just enjoy the moment, the chanting in the stands, the limbs. We've won three games in nine months so let's not get carried away.

"We've restored some pride, Rob is showing what he can do. Some of the players are showing and some of the players are putting themselves in the shop window so for now let's just enjoy the here and now and try and beat Liverpool again on Friday."

Listen to the full chat from 06:24 on BBC Sounds

Aadam Patel
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Molineux has seen as many Premier League wins in the past five days as it had in the previous 10 months. But through its history, it can't have seen many more dramatic than Tuesday's 2-1 win over Liverpool.

Make no mistake, Wolves were well worth the three points. At 1-1, they pushed for a winner and got their reward, albeit with a slice of luck with the deflection off Joe Gomez.

"This is Liverpool Football Club - never mind this position you're in, any time you beat them, you've got to enjoy the moment," said Rob Edwards.

"They're an amazing football club with an amazing manager and loads of great players. So it was a big, big night for us."

The Wolves head coach joked afterwards that he had injured himself when sprinting down the touchline after his team's late winner.

"What we're trying to do is improve," he added. "We're trying to build some momentum. We know the position we're in.

"I know I've lost myself in that moment there. People might think we're bottom of the league but you saw the energy around this place. You have to enjoy it. We're trying to turn things around.

"There is a belief that we are going in the right direction. Whatever happens until the end of that 38th game, we'll just keep fighting."

With victories against Aston Villa and Liverpool in their past two Premier League games, Wolves are the first bottom-placed side to beat two teams in the top five in a single season since West Brom in 2017-18, and the first to ever do so in consecutive matches.

While Liverpool are fighting for Champions League football, Wolves are fighting against the impossible and sit 11 points from safety with eight games remaining.

This result, in all likelihood, will ultimately have no impact on their future in the Premier League, but Rodrigo Gomes, the scorer of their first goal on Tuesday, is keeping the faith.

"We know we are in a tough position," he told BBC Sport. "It's very difficult but we need to keep believing. If it is possible, we need to keep believing.

"Now we need to work, game by game and not think 'if we win this game or this game, we avoid relegation'. Game by game, working like this every week then maybe - we will see."

As one Wolves fan told BBC Sport on his way out of Molineux: "It's crazy how we are where we are in the table."

For a side and fanbase who have endured plenty this season, this was a night they will not forget in a hurry.

And they get the opportunity to try to do it all again when Liverpool return on Friday in the FA Cup.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Burnley and Brentford defender Ben Mee says Wolves "sensed" Liverpool's weakness in Tuesday's game.

The Old Gold beat the Reds 2-1 to follow up Friday's win over Aston Villa.

"Credit to those Wolves players and credit to Rob Edwards," Mee told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"I think the substitutions made a real big impact in the game. In the last 20 minutes they were magnificent.

"To go on and win the game after conceding the lead the first time was fantastic for them and it's a great atmosphere there when it gets going.

"When you're playing against a top side you want to find a weakness and if you do sense that you definitely want to go and exploit it.

"Liverpool didn't seem to have the pace, intensity and tempo of recent years.

"I think Wolves and Rob Edwards sniffed that out and sensed it as well with his substitutions that were really positive. They got after the game and believed they could go on and win it which they did."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Aadam Patel
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Rob Edwards' side may be on their way down to the Championship but this was another performance that must have left the home fans thinking how they are bottom of the pile.

Edwards made four changes, perhaps with one eye on Friday's FA Cup tie, but his side battled throughout the first half and executed their gameplan to perfection after the break.

Joao Gomes was impressive in the middle of the park and Edwards got his changes spot on after the break. Tolu Arokodare and Rodrigo Gomes combined brilliantly for Wolves' opener and even after Salah levelled, Wolves went for the winner.

And they were rewarded with Andre's strike while those inside Molineux will never forget Edwards' run down the touchline to celebrate the winner.

Wolves have now won their past two Premier League games - having won only one of their previous 32.