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This time around, Liverpool made no mistake at Molineux. They stayed on the road to Wembley, thanks to two players signed in 2017, beloved veterans with uncertain futures. Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah scored the goals to ease the pain of Tuesday’s Premier League defeat before Curtis Jones’s strike completed a night of relative comfort. Wolves crashed back to the reality of eight remaining top-flight matches before the drop. Their goal from Hwang Hee-chan came far too late.
While Arne Slot expresses disappointment at the Premier League’s entertainment levels, a verdict hostage to fortune on Tuesday, his starting selection suggested an FA Cup exit would not be countenanced. Winning the trophy will not offer full job security but losing twice at the top flight’s bottom club in three days, a potentially telling blow, was avoided.
Even in victory, Slot could not get Tuesday from his mind. “Of course it is the perfect response when you look at the result but every stat is exactly the same as three days ago,” he said. “There were a lot of similarities between this game and three days ago.”
Only a last-minute change of heart prevented Robertson from joining Tottenham in January. A lucky escape for the player and the club he continues to serve with such distinction. “A bit more like it,” Robertson said. “I’m not sure if I have a point to prove in a Liverpool shirt.”
His head coach agreed: “He loves the club and he loves playing in front of these fans. Robbo has given his everything for this club. That’s again what he did tonight.”
If Salah was sluggish in the first half, his well-taken goal echoed the player he once was and perhaps still can be. “It’s important for attackers to score,” said Slot. “If they don’t score for a long time they are always going to try and force it.”
With Hugo Ekitiké benched, Cody Gakpo led Liverpool’s attack. Rio Ngumoha filled the Dutchman’s usual left-wing role to impressive effect. Liverpool have missed Florian Wirtz and his return as a second-half substitute was another welcome sight for Slot. “Now I can affect the game more from the bench,” he said, pointedly mentioning Liverpool’s injury list.
In Molineux’s Stan Cullis Stand, two paintings of Diogo Jota, by the former Wolves captain Jody Craddock, were unveiled, emphasising the long shadow cast over both clubs by the loss of a close friend to Robertson and Salah.
Salah’s strike on Tuesday, his first for Liverpool in the league since November, did not have an immediate regenerative effect. Though after a first half littered with wrestling at corners and long shots, he and his teammates eventually exuded a confidence rarely viewed during Slot’s difficult second album, even if this was a seventh win in nine matches.
Six minutes from the restart Ngumoha began a counter and, after Salah’s intelligent run pulled four defenders out of position, Curtis Jones dabbed the ball for Robertson to rip his shot beyond Sam Johnstone.
Then came Salah’s moment of salvation, though he was asked to wait. The video assistant referee, recommissioned for the FA Cup fifth round, eventually ruled Salah was onside when converting Robertson’s cross. The instincts have not fully deserted the Egyptian. He had insisted to the linesman his timing had been, in fact, perfect. Correctly so.
“Mo is hardly ever offside,” said Slot. “So when the linesman raised the flag I was straight away questioning it.” Salah kissed the turf in thanks, soon departing to applause, alongside a visibly tired Ngumoha, as Wirtz was introduced.
Progress to the quarter-finals was soon enough confirmed. Jones, seconds previously, had filled in for the perpetual motion of Dominik Szoboszlai, nominally right-back but covering as much of the Molineux turf as possible. Back into midfield, interchanging with Ryan Gravenberch, Jones curled the ball home.
Rob Edwards has performed a remarkable feat in energising the support of a club headed downwards but there would be no repeat of Tuesday’s wild celebration. Having André, that evening’s winning goalscorer, missing through suspension was unhelpful. “Not a tough one to take, the better team won tonight,” said Edwards. “I have no qualms or excuses. To win one of the games we have to take a big positive.”
Such was Liverpool’s comfort Virgil van Dijk was removed from proceedings, though so too was Alexis Mac Allister, after a heavy challenge by Hwang. Trey Nyoni’s and Kieran Morrison’s arrivals signalled cameos for Liverpool fledglings on a night where a pair of club legends showed their continued value.
