irgil van Dijk of Liverpool celebrates after scoring the team's first goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield on March 01, 2023 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)irgil van Dijk of Liverpool celebrates after scoring the team's first goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield on March 01, 2023 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
irgil van Dijk of Liverpool celebrates after scoring the team's first goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield on March 01, 2023 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Liverpool player ratings: one star gets 8/10 and five 7/10s in Wolves victory - gallery

Liverpool player ratings from the 2-0 victory against Wolves in the Premier League at Anfield.

Liverpool kept their chances of a Premier League top-four finish alive with a 2-0 victory over Wolves at Anfield.

The Reds were not at their free-flowing best - much like the majority of the season - but second-half goals from Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah moved them up to sixth in the table.

The first half proved a largely dull affair but Liverpool mustered the best two opportunities in the closing stages.

In the 40th minute, Harvey Elliott squandered a huge chance when he steered a header wide of the target. Then, in stoppage-time, Elliott struck a crisp half-volley that forced a fine save out of Wolves keeper Jose Sa.

The second half began much like the opening 45 minutes with any real quality found wanting. But in the 66th minute, Liverpool thought they’d broken the deadlock when Darwin Nunez slammed home a loose ball from close range. However, following a VAR review, the goal was chalked off as Diogo Jota was adjudged to have fouled visiting defender Max Kilman.

Yet seven minutes later, the Reds did take the lead. Van Dijk’s header from a Trent Alexander-Arnold free-kick could only be parried by Sa. Jota was alert to the loose ball and crossed for van Dijk, who nodded into an empty net.

Then with 13 minutes remaining, Klopp’s troops secured a third league win in four games when Salah converted Kostas Tsimikas’ cross.