The festive season at Anfield reaches its peak today, Saturday, December 27, 2025, as Liverpool host Wolverhampton Wanderers in a 3:00 PM GMT kick-off.
This is a classic "top vs. bottom" clash on paper, but both sides arrive with vastly different narratives. Liverpool is navigating a massive injury crisis after a bruising win at Tottenham, while Wolves—under new management—are desperately searching for their first league win of the season to escape the foot of the table.
Match Details
Competition: Premier League (Matchday 18)
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
Referee: Simon Hooper | VAR: Stuart Attwell
Current Form: Managing Chaos vs. Fighting for Survival
Liverpool: The Arne Slot Era
Liverpool currently sits 5th in the Premier League (29 points) and is in excellent form, having won their last three matches across all competitions, including a 2-1 win at Spurs and a 1-0 Champions League victory over Inter Milan. However, Arne Slot’s "control-first" philosophy will be tested today as he is forced to shuffle his deck due to an unprecedented number of absences in his forward line.
Wolves: The Rob Edwards Rescue Mission
Wolves are enduring a nightmare season, sitting 20th in the table without a single win in 17 matches (W0, D2, L15). Former Luton boss Rob Edwards was brought in last month to replace Vítor Pereira, but results have yet to turn around, following a demoralizing 2-0 home loss to Brentford last weekend. For Wolves, anything other than a defeat at Anfield would be considered a miracle.
Team News & Projected Lineups
Liverpool: A Forward Line in Flux
The Reds are missing a staggering number of key players. Record signing Alexander Isak is out for months with a broken leg sustained at Tottenham, while Mohamed Salah is currently in Morocco for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Out: Mohamed Salah (AFCON), Alexander Isak (Leg), Dominik Szoboszlai (Suspension), Joe Gomez, Wataru Endo, Giovanni Leoni.
Doubts: Conor Bradley (Hamstring), Cody Gakpo (Muscle), Ibrahima Konate.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Jones; Chiesa, Mac Allister, Wirtz; Ekitike.
Wolves: Searching for Defensive Solidity
Rob Edwards is expected to stick with a pragmatic back-five to withstand the Anfield atmosphere. Jørgen Strand Larsen remains their primary goal threat, but the team has struggled significantly for service from wide areas.
Out: Bastien Meupiyou, Enso González.
Predicted XI (5-3-2): Sa; Hoever, Bueno, Krejci, Toti, Wolfe; Lemina, João Gomes, André; Hwang, Strand Larsen.
Tactical Analysis: Creative Depth vs. The Low Block
The "Wirtz-Mac Allister" Connection
With Szoboszlai suspended and Salah away, the creative burden falls on Florian Wirtz and Alexis Mac Allister. Liverpool will likely use Hugo Ekitike as a focal point, with Federico Chiesa providing the directness and pace on the right that Salah usually occupies. Slot will rely on his full-backs, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, to provide the width.
Wolves’ Counter-Attacking Hope
Rob Edwards’ teams are known for their bravery on the break. Wolves will look to sit in a deep 5-4-1 and use the pace of Hee-chan Hwang to exploit the space behind Frimpong. However, Wolves’ biggest issue has been "switching off" in the final 15 minutes of matches, a weakness Liverpool is historically clinical at punishing.
Head-to-Head: A One-Sided Affair
Liverpool has a dominant recent record against Wolves, having won all five of their last meetings.
Last Meeting: Liverpool 2-1 Wolves (February 16, 2025).
Anfield Record: Wolves have not won a league match at Anfield since 2010.
Recent Scorelines: Liverpool 2-0 Wolves, Wolves 1-2 Liverpool, Liverpool 2-0 Wolves.
Match Prediction
Despite Liverpool’s extensive injury list and the absence of Salah, the gap in quality and confidence between the two sides remains vast. Wolves have struggled to score and even more to defend, while Liverpool’s midfield—led by the revitalized Ryan Gravenberch—should dominate the tempo. Expect a professional, if slightly disjointed, performance from the Reds.
Final Score Prediction: Liverpool 2-0 Wolves
