JOTA RELIEF
DIOGO LIFTS LIVERPOOL AS WOLVES KEEPER PATRICIO IS STRETCHERED OFF AFTER COLLISION
DIOGO JOTA scored against his former club to give Liverpool a much-needed domestic lift with a 1-0 Premier League victory at Wolves last night.
Jota, who left for Anfield for £45million last September, netted on the stroke of halftime as Jurgen Klopp’s one-time title challengers moved up to sixth spot, five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
Wolves’ misery was compounded by a late injury sustained by keeper Rui Patricio, who lay prone for more than ten minutes before being carried off on a stretcher.
Despite the boost of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals after seeing off RB Leipzig, Liverpool had lost six of their seven previous league games before arriving at Molineux.
But with their away form considerably better than at home, they took the game to Wolves after an early scare when keeper Alisson barged into Nelson Semedo but no penalty was given.
Liverpool forward Sadio Mane was put through on goal on 14 minutes but his first touch took him too wide.
The opening period was coming to an end when Jota, who returned this month from a knee injury that had kept him out since December, fired low past Patricio at his near post, the Portuguese forward keeping his celebrations low key on his old ground.
After the break Wolves again felt they should have had a spot-kick when Joao Moutinho appeared to be nudged over by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Mohamed Salah put the ball in the net with five minutes left but it was disallowed for offside, although it did come at a cost for Wolves with Patricio seemingly left concussed after colliding with the knee of team-mate Conor Coady in the incident.