Rudderless crew: Ngog (left), Lucas, Torres and
Gerrard are not amused by Wolves' goal
Mick McCarthy's men have picked up all their away points on
Merseyside this season, having drawn 0-0 with Everton back in
August.
Stephen Ward got the winner, a cool finish after a defensive
mix-up. It was no less than Wolves deserved as Liverpool's big
guns, Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, again failed to
impress.
Raul Meireles missed a glorious early chance for the hosts after
some quick thinking from Torres.
The Spanish striker lofted in a free-kick, which George Elokobi
made a total hash of, but Meireles' side-footed effort came back
off Wayne Hennessey who had spread himself well.
Wolves also had their chances, especially when Soto Kyrgiakos
dwelt on the ball and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake almost made him pay.
Under pressure: Liverpool manager Roy
Hodgson
Hodgson's side looked rusty, which was not surprising
seeing as they had not played for 18 days.
Gerrard, who had returned to the heart of Liverpool's midfield
after six weeks out with a hamstring injury, hit one superb
first-half cross that needed Richard Stearman to head behind with
David Ngog lurking.
Christophe Berra dragged Kyrgiakos to the ground from the
resulting corner but referee Peter Walton waved away home penalty
claims.
It was end-to-end with McCarthy's men not looking anything like
a side rooted in the bottom three since October 2 — and with seven
away defeats on the bounce to their name.
They worked hard, closed the home side down and frustrated the
Reds, while playing some attractive football of their own.
Berra again rode his luck at a corner when he had his hands all
over Kyrgiakos right in front of the ref who again failed to judge
that the rough treatment on the Greek defender warranted a
spot-kick.
After the break Glen Johnson's neat feet set up Ngog but he
could not wrap his foot around the ball enough and his shot went
wide of Hennessey's upright.
Wolves then went close themselves, Ronald Zubar turning well in
the box and forcing Pepe Reina into a full-length save.
And the visitors took the lead on 56 minutes when some poor
defending saw Ward run onto Ebanks-Blake's through ball and slot
past Reina.
More calamity defending soon after gifted Kevin Foley a great
chance and he should have put Wolves two ahead.
The Anfield side were rattled and Hodgson made a raft of changes
with Ryan Babel, Joe Cole and Fabio Aurelio all coming on.
But it was too little too late and the Reds lost at home in the
final game of a calendar year for the first time since Manchester
City's 3-1 triumph in 1981.
LIVERPOOL: Reina, Johnson, Kyrgiakos, Skrtel,
Konchesky (Aurelio 73), Kuyt, Gerrard, Lucas, Meireles (Cole 73),
Torres, Ngog (Babel 62). Not used: Jones, Agger, Maxi, Poulsen.
Booked: Johnson.
WOLVES: Hennessey, Zubar, Stearman, Berra,
Elokobi, Foley, Milijas, Hunt, Jarvis (Edwards 89), Ward (Fletcher
78), Ebanks-Blake. Not used: Hahnemann, David Jones, Bent, Mujangi
Bia, Batth. Booked: Elokobi.
