Fresh after the international break, Liverpool will travel to Molineux to face Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday (16 September 2023).
The Reds have made a solid start to their new campaign and some pundits are already considering them as one of the potential challengers for the league title.
Paul Merson does feel that early signs are encouraging for the Reds, but he believes Jurgen Klopp’s side needs to maintain consistency to challenge the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal.
Speaking to SportsKeeda, Merson says that he can’t see Wolves getting a win here, and has predicted Liverpool to secure a 2-1 victory.
The Saturday morning game brings difficult challenges, especially just after the international break, and all eyes will be on how Liverpool shapes up for this match.
The popular pundit says that these type of games acts as a leveller and is a “huge” advantage. Wolves are heading into the fixture on the back of a 3-2 loss against Crystal Palace, but they aren’t playing badly.
After a disappointing 2022-23 campaign, the Reds are showing signs of getting back to their imperious best under Klopp once again.
With three wins in a row and a draw so far, they are building a strong momentum for the season ahead.
Merson suggests that Klopp will rely on squad rotation for this one which shouldn’t be a bad thing. The likes of Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota could easily come into the starting line-up in place of Luis Diaz and make an impact.
Merson said: “A Saturday morning game after an international break is always a hard one to call as most players – at least from the so-called top six sides – go away to represent their countries. It acts as a bit of a leveler and is a huge advantage, so Liverpool will have to be wary of that.
“It’s particularly hard for South Americans like Alexis Mac Allister and Luis Diaz, but the Reds might be able to get away with rotating a few players. Mac Allister will probably start, but Liverpool can afford to bench Diaz as the likes of Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota – who both scored for their countries in the international break – are waiting patiently on the wings.
“Jurgen Klopp and co have begun the 2023-24 campaign in good form but will have to carry on if they want to challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title. Wolves, on the other hand, have had a tough start to the season, so I can’t see them getting a result here. They don’t score too many goals, so even if Liverpool concede, they won’t find it difficult to outscore the home side.”
