WOLVERHAMPTON, England (Reuters) – Ibrahima Konate headed home his first ever Premier League goal and Mohamed Salah converted a penalty as Liverpool climbed to the top of the Premier League table with a 2-1 victory over struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
Arne Slot’s men have 15 points after six games, one more than both Manchester City and Arsenal, while Wolves are bottom with a single point.
Konate scored in first-half injury time after Diogo Jota beat his man down the left then served up a pinpoint cross that the 25-year-old centre back leapt to head home.
Wolves capitalised on some sloppy defending by Konate, however, to level in the 56th minute. The French centre back appeared to be leaving the ball to run out for a goal kick but Jorgen Strand Larsen kept it in, and Rayan Ait-Nouri scored from close range.
Yet Salah silenced the celebratory home crowd at Molineux five minutes later when Liverpool were awarded a penalty for Nelson Semedo’s foul on Jota, Salah sending keeper Sam Johnstone the wrong way.
“I think a team like Liverpool has to be in the top four for sure; we keep pushing, we keep pushing, but it’s really early,” Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch told Sky Sports after another impressive display from the Dutch midfielder.
“This season I wanted to show myself again and I am really happy. He (Slot) put me in the starting 11 and gave me a lot of confidence.”
Dominik Szoboszlai had squandered a brilliant chance to get Liverpool on the scoreboard when he connected with a cross from Andy Robertson, but Johnstone stopped the Hungarian’s point-blank shot.
The Reds had a few more chances in the dying minutes including a corner that Konate headed over the bar and a shot to the bottom corner by Curtis Jones after a one-two with Salah that Johnstone saved.
Liverpool’s victory comes amid a busy schedule, with Slot’s side crushing West Ham United 5-1 in a League Cup third-round tie on Wednesday, while they host Bologna in a Champions League match in four days’ time.
Gary O’Neil’s struggling Wolves side have gone 18 games without a clean sheet, since a 1-0 win last February at Sheffield United.
Wolves captain Mario Lemina looked distraught after the final whistle, pulling his shirt over his face before a couple of teammates arrived to console him.
Aston Villa could draw level on points with Liverpool at the top of the table on Sunday with a win at Ipswich Town, although Unai Emery’s side trail 10-3 on goal difference.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Toby Davis)
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