Happy Days here again as fans enjoy a Reds rout
LIVERPOOL is a city that prides itself on finding the right song for the right occasion and, at 8pm last night, it proved the case again. Oh Happy Day by the Edwin Hawkins Singers was the Anfield DJ’s record of choice and those three words captured the mood.
As supporters returned to Anfield for the first time since March 11 — 39 long weeks ago — so the team they idolise summoned a display befitting of their status.
Those who were on the Kop had come to see the champions and they were treated to arguably Liverpool’s most complete display since they ended their 30-year wait to lift the title.
Nuno Espirito Santo, Wolves’ impressive manager, was reduced to standing with arms folded in disbelief as Liverpool went through the gears, scoring four times and responding to the challenge coming from London.
Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are having fine seasons and are sides with great potential. Man City are hitting form, too, and it would be nonsense to think they will not be heavily involved in the race for the crown come spring.
But be under no illusion that Liverpool set a benchmark that is incredibly high. Jurgen Klopp may feel his side are not favourites for the title but he is fooling nobody — certainly not anyone who was inside Anfield.
It did not matter how many were in, the only thing that mattered was the fact they were in. You could hear the chants roll across Stanley Park 45 minutes before kick-off and by the start, they were ready to start the emotion inside the stadium.
An early indication of Liverpool’s intent came in the 12th minute when Sadio Mane exchanged passes with Roberto Firmino then Andrew Robertson before charging into the area to meet the leftback’s cross. His header, however, failed to trouble Rui Patricio.
This, though, was never going to be a day when the traffic flowed one way and Wolves provided a reminder of their quality in the 17th minute when Daniel Podence’s deft chip f orced a s uperb f i ngertip s ave f r om Caoimhin Kelleher.
Wolves caused alarm again moments l ater when Adama Traore skipped past Fabinho and fizzed a ball across goal but superb defending from Neco Williams stopped Pedro Neto stealing in at the back post.
The failure to make that spell of pressure pay off would prove costly. In the 24th minute, Jordan Henderson clipped a ball forward that Conor Coady misjudged and he set up Mohamed Salah, who gleefully accepted the gift.
You knew it was going to take something special to stop Liverpool. They may not have created too many chances before the break but they had controlled the game.
True, there was some relief in the 44th minute when referee Craig Pawson rushed to point to the spot following a collision between Mane and Coady but VAR Jon Moss advised Pawson to reconsider.
Quite how Klopp would have reacted had the decision remained is anyone’s guess but the eruption was quelled after Pawson looked at his monitor and, from that point, there was only one team in it.
If this is Liverpool experiencing difficulties, you wonder quite what they will be able to achieve when they are not exhausted and have a full squad from which to select.
By the final whistle, Wolves were simply happy to have kept the score down to four.
Liverpool got to that tally with some blistering play. Henderson created t he s econd with a quarterback’s pass from deep, allowing Gini Wijnaldum to scuttle forward and bend a drive in from 25 yards.
Number three came from the head of Joel Matip following a pinpoint centre from Salah.
Trent Alexander-Arnold then, in the 78th minute, zipped the ball across the area, forcing Nelson Semedo to put through his own net.
Wolves do not get beaten in this fashion but it could have been heavier.
No wonder, at the end, Klopp raced to the Kop and punched his fist three times in celebration, to noisy acclaim. He and they had every reason to be delighted.
Oh happy day indeed.