:Headline: Preview: Liverpool vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Sunday's Premier League clash between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
For the final time as Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp will address the adoring Kop and listen to You'll Never Walk Alone inside the Anfield walls on Sunday, when Wolverhampton Wanderers bid to spoil his Premier League farewell parade.
In a match with nothing significant on the line for both clubs, all focus will be on the departing German as he oversees just 90 more minutes of football in a Liverpool tracksuit.
Match preview
One assumes that Klopp will not miss the English media too much, but during his closing pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon, the German was presented with a beautiful canvas displaying some of his fondest Merseyside memories, ranging from Champions League stardom to long-awaited Premier League supremacy.
Four months on from shocking the European football landscape by announcing his resignation, the German's farewell is finally nigh - alongside that of his coaching team in Pep Lijnders, Vitor Matos and Peter Krawietz, the former two of whom will continue in tandem at Red Bull Salzburg.
While Klopp will certainly not kick back and put his feet up at 4pm on Sunday, personal pride is all that is at stake for Liverpool, who are already guaranteed to finish third in the Premier League table after their title bid crashed and burned during a dismal Easter period.
Monday's six-goal spectacular with Aston Villa ended in a result that epitomised Klopp's final season, as despite leading 3-1 heading into the final 10 minutes, a late Jhon Duran brace pegged the Reds back to 3-3 at Villa Park; the Lions took a leaf out of Liverpool's book when it came to powers of recovery.
The West Midlands capitulation means that Liverpool boast a dissatisfactory record of just three wins from their last nine matches across all competitions, and not since December 17 have they kept a Premier League clean sheet at Anfield, but ending that barren defensive sequence would be another parting gift for their beloved coach.
From a departing Premier League coach to one in the embryonic stages of his managerial journey in English football, Wolves boss Gary O'Neil intends to play the role of party pooper on Sunday, where the visitors could still sneak into the top half of the standings if results go their way.
However, Wolves have well and truly lost their bite at this late stage, as after being hit for five at champions-elect Manchester City on May 4, O'Neil's men were brushed aside by Oliver Glasner's in-form Crystal Palace crop in the penultimate weekend.
The deadly trident of Michael Olise, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Eberechi Eze rendered Matheus Cunha's strike inconsequential at Molineux, leaving Wolves in an unremarkable 13th place in the standings, albeit just two points worse off than Brighton & Hove Albion in 10th position.
In order to sneak into the top half, though, the Old Gold would have to rain on Klopp's parade - an unlikely scenario if one win from their last 10 in all tournaments is anything to go by - while also praying that Brighton, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace all slip up, but O'Neil and co will not be hung up on failing to clamber out of the bottom 10.
September's Molineux meeting saw Liverpool pull off one of their quintessential comebacks in a 3-1 triumph over Wolves, who have not won a Premier League game at Anfield since 2010 and are not expected to provide a major threat to an ideal Klopp send-off.
Liverpool Premier League form:
- L
- W
- L
- D
- W
- D
Liverpool form (all competitions):
- W
- W
- L
- D
- W
- D
Wolverhampton Wanderers Premier League form:
- D
- L
- L
- W
- L
- L
Team News
As well as the imminent exits of Klopp and his coaching team, Liverpool confirmed on Friday morning that Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip would be departing when their contracts expire at the end of the season, but the latter's ACL injury will deny him an on-field farewell.
However, Thiago was back in training earlier this week after a muscular problem and has a slim chance of making a final appearance, while Diogo Jota (hip) and Andy Robertson (knock) have rejoined the team and should be involved too.
Ben Doak (knee) and Bobby Clark (unspecified) must watch on from the sidelines on Sunday, where Klopp will surely not turn his nose up to minutes for Conor Bradley and Stefan Bajcetic, albeit most likely from the substitutes' bench.
As far as Wolves are concerned, tricky Portuguese winger Pedro Neto is in the final stages of his rehabilitation from a thigh injury, and O'Neil has confirmed that he will be a part of the squad for the trip to Merseyside.
Craig Dawson (groin) and Leon Chiwone (ankle) are both guaranteed absentees for the visitors, who did not have Jose Sa in the ranks against Palace due to illness, but the shot-stopper has now recovered.
However, Pablo Sarabia has picked up a slight issue and is a fresh doubt for O'Neil, who also withdrew Boubacar Traore during the break last weekend, although that appeared to be a tactical switch from O'Neil.
Traore's early substitution offers Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Tommy Doyle hope of re-entering the engine room alongside Mario Lemina and Joao Gomes, whom Liverpool apparently plan to reignite their interest in this summer.
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Robertson; Elliott, Endo, Mac Allister; Salah, Gakpo, Diaz
Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Sa; S. Bueno, Toti, Kilman; Semedo, Doyle, Lemina, Gomes, Ait-Nouri; Cunha, Hwang
We say: Liverpool 2-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Neither Liverpool nor Wolves have been ending the season as they mean to go on, but not since 1989 have the Reds lost at Anfield in their final game of the season, and that trend should not be bucked here.
The hosts may not be such a tough nut to crack at the back anymore, but facing a confidence-sapped Wolves side is a recipe for a 299th and final victory for Klopp before the tributes begin.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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