Wolves vs Liverpool Preview: Molineux Rematch, Cup Pedigree & Jota Tributes

Wolves and Liverpool meet for the second time in four days when they collide at Molineux in the FA Cup fifth round on Friday evening, with a quarter-final place at stake. Rob Edwards' side stunned the Reds 2-1 in the Premier League on Tuesday night, substitute Rodrigo Gomes breaking the deadlock in the 78th minute before André's deflected strike in the 94th minute completed a remarkable smash-and-grab after Mo Salah had equalised. Kick-off is at 8pm GMT, live on TNT Sports 1, BBC One and discovery+. Both sets of supporters have paid tribute to the late Diogo Jota throughout the week, a player who represented both clubs with distinction before his tragic passing in July 2025, and the atmosphere at Molineux promises to be charged with emotion. Liverpool's title defence has disintegrated, but the FA Cup offers Arne Slot's side a genuine route to silverware, while Wolves will sense an opportunity to extend a run of form that has transformed the mood around the club at the business end of the season.

Wolves' Form: From Rock Bottom to Molineux Revival

It has been a dismal campaign at Molineux for the most part. Wolves sit rock bottom of the Premier League on 16 points from 30 games, 12 adrift of safety, and relegation to the Championship looks all but certain. Vítor Pereira was sacked on 2 November after failing to win any of his first ten league games, losing eight and drawing two, and Rob Edwards was appointed from Middlesbrough ten days later with a mandate to salvage what he could. The wait for a first Premier League victory continued until matchday 20, when a 3-0 demolition of West Ham finally delivered three points under Edwards. An eight-game winless run followed, but the turnaround in the last fortnight has been extraordinary.

A 2-0 win over local rivals Aston Villa was followed by a stunning 2-2 draw with Arsenal, where Hugo Bueno produced a moment of magic to halve the deficit before Tom Edozie's shot deflected off Calafiori in the 93rd minute to complete a comeback from two goals down. Then came Tuesday's heroics against Liverpool, with substitute Rodrigo Gomes racing past Konaté to finish at the far post before André's deflected effort in the 94th minute completed back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since April 2024. João Gomes has been the standout performer all season with a 7.00 FotMob rating, while Hugo Bueno (6.82) and André (6.79) have been key contributors. Wolves have conceded just four goals in their last five competitive matches, a dramatic improvement from a side that has shipped 52 in the league all season.

Liverpool's Form: Title Gone, Cup Hope Remains

Liverpool's title defence has disintegrated beyond repair. Slot's side sit sixth in the Premier League on 48 points from 29 games, a staggering 19 points behind leaders Arsenal, and the Wolves defeat on Tuesday means they have now been beaten five times this season by goals scored in the 90th minute or beyond, setting an unwanted Premier League record for a single campaign. Virgil van Dijk said after the game that Slot has "every right" to be angry, and the manager himself slammed the display as completely unacceptable.

The underlying numbers before Tuesday were actually encouraging, with four wins from five including a 5-2 demolition of West Ham at Anfield, a 3-0 FA Cup fourth-round win over Brighton, and clean sheets at Sunderland and Nottingham Forest. Mo Salah ended a 10-match, 122-day Premier League goal drought by scoring at Molineux, but it was not enough to prevent a defeat that has plunged Liverpool's Champions League qualification hopes into serious doubt. With the Champions League last-16 first leg against Galatasaray at RAMS Park on Tuesday 10 March and a Tottenham fixture sandwiched in between, Slot faces a delicate balancing act between squad preservation and momentum in the cup.

Team News & Predicted Lineups

Wolves have a near full-strength squad to choose from. Enso Gonzalez is the only confirmed absentee with a knee injury, while Hee-Chan Hwang returned from nearly a month on the sidelines to make the bench on Tuesday. Sam Johnstone has started both FA Cup ties this season, beating Shrewsbury Town 6-1 in round three and Grimsby 1-0 in round four, and could come in for José Sá between the posts. Edwards is expected to name a largely unchanged side from Tuesday's win, with the 3-4-2-1 shape that has transformed Wolves' fortunes. Matt Doherty, Santiago Bueno and Ladislav Krejčí form the back three, with Jackson Tchatchoua and David Møller Wolfe operating as wing-backs, João Gomes and André in central midfield, Angel Gomes and Mateus Mané in support of Adam Armstrong.

Liverpool are expected to rotate significantly with the Galatasaray first leg less than a week away. Giorgi Mamardashvili could get a chance in goal if Alisson is rested, while Andy Robertson and Joe Gomez are likely to come into the defence at left-back and right-back respectively. Curtis Jones should return to midfield alongside Ryan Gravenberch in the double pivot, with Dominik Szoboszlai operating as the number ten. Mo Salah is expected to keep his place on the right, while 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha is in line to start on the left flank after an increasingly impressive run of appearances. Ngumoha has shown more promise from the left than Gakpo in recent weeks, offering unpredictability, directness and a willingness to run at defenders that Liverpool's attack has lacked. Steven Gerrard publicly criticised Gakpo's one-dimensional tendency to cut inside from the left, and Ngumoha's emergence gives Slot a genuine alternative, though there are legitimate questions about whether starting every game could be too much for a teenager. Alexander Isak remains out until late March with an ankle injury, Conor Bradley is sidelined with a knee problem, and Wataru Endo, Giovanni Leoni and Stefan Bajcetic are all long-term absentees. Florian Wirtz is back in contention after missing three games with a minor back injury, but is unlikely to start.

Head-to-Head: Liverpool Dominant, But Wolves Have Cup Pedigree

These two clubs have met over 120 times in competitive football, with Liverpool holding a commanding overall advantage. The Reds have won 17 of the last 18 Premier League meetings, the sole exception being Wolves' 3-0 victory at Molineux in February 2023 under Julen Lopetegui, until Tuesday's result broke the run again. In the FA Cup, however, Wolves have enjoyed notable successes, knocking Liverpool out in both 2016-17 and 2018-19, the former a memorable 2-1 win at Anfield. The last FA Cup meeting was in the 2022-23 third round, where Liverpool progressed via a replay at Molineux after a 2-2 draw at Anfield.

Tactical Breakdown

Wolves have developed a clear tactical identity under Edwards in recent weeks, operating in a 3-4-2-1 shape that maximises their wing-back options and protects the centre of the pitch. Without the ball they compress into a disciplined low block, happy to concede territory and possession before looking to hit opponents on the break through the pace of the wing-backs and the movement of Armstrong. Against Liverpool on Tuesday, João Gomes was the dominant presence in midfield, while the introduction of Rodrigo Gomes and Tolu Arokodare from the bench injected energy and directness in the final half hour. Edwards has spoken openly about his substitution strategy, with his impact players bringing a visible boost in energy after the 60-minute mark, and the results have justified his approach.

Liverpool under Slot typically dominate possession and control games through patient build-up and high pressing, but the question is whether a rotated side can replicate the intensity of the first-choice XI. Gakpo's predictability on the left was criticised in the Tuesday match, and Slot may turn to Ngumoha for the directness and energy that the teenager has brought off the bench in recent weeks. The concern is that a reshuffled defensive line could be vulnerable to exactly the kind of rapid counter-attacks that caught them out in the league fixture, particularly with Mamardashvili less familiar with the centre-back partnership than Alisson.

Key Battles

• Rodrigo Gomes vs Andy Robertson: Rodrigo Gomes came off the bench to devastating effect on Tuesday, racing past Konaté to score the opener. If Edwards keeps him as a super-sub again, Robertson will need to be alert to his pace and directness from the moment he enters the action.
• João Gomes vs Curtis Jones: Gomes is Wolves' top-rated player this season at 7.00 on FotMob and was the standout performer on Tuesday, dominating the midfield battle. Jones will need to match that intensity while providing the creative spark Liverpool's attack requires.
• Mo Salah vs David Møller Wolfe: Salah ended his 122-day Premier League goal drought on Tuesday and will be determined to continue. Møller Wolfe has been a steady presence at left wing-back and will need to manage both his defensive and offensive duties against the Egyptian.
• Rio Ngumoha vs Jackson Tchatchoua: If Ngumoha gets the nod on the left, the 17-year-old will face a stern test against Tchatchoua's physical presence at right wing-back. Ngumoha has been one of Liverpool's brightest sparks in recent weeks, offering the kind of direct, unpredictable running that Gakpo has failed to provide, and this is the sort of stage where a young player can announce himself.

What's at Stake

For Wolves, the Premier League season is all but over. Bottom on 16 points from 30 games and 12 adrift of 17th place, relegation is a virtual certainty despite the recent upturn. That frees Edwards to throw everything at the FA Cup, where a quarter-final place would represent the most significant result of an otherwise torrid campaign. The prize money of £238,500 for progressing is meaningful for a club that will need to rebuild in the Championship, and Edwards himself made clear after Tuesday's win that he wants to compete on both fronts. The route to the fifth round has been comfortable, dispatching Shrewsbury 6-1 and Grimsby 1-0.

For Liverpool, the FA Cup may be the most realistic route to silverware this season. The title is gone, with Arsenal 19 points clear at the summit, and the Champions League requires a significant shift in form just to qualify. Slot needs to weigh the cup against the demands of the league and Europe, but with a Wembley semi-final beckoning for the winners of the next two rounds, this is a competition Liverpool cannot afford to take lightly. Their own route to this stage has been convincing, beating Barnsley 4-1 in round three and Brighton 3-0 in round four.

Referee Watch: Farai Hallam

Farai Hallam has been appointed to take charge of this tie, with James Bell on VAR duty and Daniel Robathan as assistant VAR. Hallam is a relatively recent addition to the top-level refereeing roster and has limited Premier League experience, making this a significant appointment. His style tends to favour allowing the game to flow rather than stopping play for minor infringements, which could suit Wolves' physical approach. Both sides will need to manage their discipline carefully in the heat of a cup tie at a packed Molineux, particularly with Wolves having committed 63 fouls and accumulated 12 yellow cards across their last five matches.

The Bottom Line

This is a fascinating cup tie with narrative threads running in every direction. Wolves arrive with the kind of confidence that makes bottom-of-the-table sides dangerous, having won two and drawn one of their last four matches against top-six opposition at Molineux. Liverpool have the superior squad but face a brutal scheduling challenge, with Galatasaray in the Champions League last 16 just four days later, and Slot will almost certainly rest key players.

The emotional backdrop of the Jota tributes, the familiarity of a Tuesday-to-Friday rematch, and the prize of a quarter-final place add layers of intrigue. Tuesday's win was Wolves' first over Liverpool in six attempts, but Edwards' side have shown they can compete with anyone at Molineux right now, and this crowd will believe they can do it again. The 70-hour turnaround between matches is among the tightest in FA Cup history, and the question for both managers is who has the fresher legs and the sharper minds when the lights come on at Molineux on Friday night.