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Liverpool attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz scored his first goal for the club as the reigning champions edged into the Premier League’s top four with an unconvincing 2-1 victory over Wolves at Anfield, on an emotional afternoon dedicated to the memory of former forward Diogo Jota.
Both clubs paid tribute to Jota, who died in a car accident in July alongside his brother Andre Silva.
The Portugal international enjoyed a successful spell at Liverpool after joining from Wolves in 2020, winning four major trophies during his time at Anfield.
Before kick-off, Jota’s two children led the teams onto the pitch as mascots, while his widow, Rute Cardoso, watched from the touchline.
Supporters from both sides joined together to chant his name in the 18th and 20th minutes, marking the shirt numbers he wore during his careers at Wolves and Liverpool.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot described the occasion as deeply moving, praising the behaviour of supporters and players alike since the tragedy.
He highlighted the emotional impact of seeing Jota’s children involved in the ceremony and the respect shown throughout the stadium.
On the pitch, both teams have endured difficult campaigns, with Wolves rooted near the bottom of the table after collecting just two points from their opening 18 league matches.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have shown signs of recovery in recent weeks and are beginning to see glimpses of the quality that convinced them to spend £100 million on Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen.
The 22-year-old German had already registered his first Premier League assist last weekend, though that match also brought bad news as Alexander Isak suffered a broken leg. With the club-record signing now sidelined for months, the spotlight has intensified on Wirtz to justify his hefty fee.
Slot insisted the midfielder’s influence goes beyond goals and assists, praising his all-round contribution during the match and his growing importance to the team.
Wirtz eventually opened his Liverpool account in his 23rd appearance, finishing from close range after being picked out by Hugo Ekitike to double the hosts’ advantage. The goal came shortly after Ryan Gravenberch had broken the deadlock with a powerful finish from Jeremie Frimpong’s cross.
Despite going into the interval 2-0 ahead against a Wolves side struggling badly, Liverpool were unable to kill the game. Their ongoing vulnerability at set pieces was exposed early in the second half when Santiago Bueno headed home to reduce the deficit.
With memories of recent late collapses still fresh, Liverpool were forced to dig deep in the closing stages. A perfectly timed tackle from Conor Bradley proved decisive, denying Jhon Arias a clear chance and preserving all three points.
