"It felt like a proper unit" - Jurgen Klopp lauds 5 Liverpool stars after hard-fought 2-0 win against Wolves

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has praised Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho, Harvey Elliott, and Stefan Bajcetic for their performances in the Reds' 2-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Liverpool welcomed Wolves to town for their Premier League matchday 24 clash on Wednesday night (1 March). Coming into the game on the back of a goalless draw with Crystal Palace, the Reds needed a positive result to remain in the top-four race. Two late goals from Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah in the 73rd and 77th minutes propelled Klopp’s team to a hard-fought 2-0 victory, taking them to sixth place in the rankings.

Speaking to the press after the game, Klopp lauded his defense and midfield for holding firm when the Wolves threw the kitchen sink at them. He began by assessing Van Dijk, who has been under fire for sub-par performances this season.

“We all need that and he needs that as well,” Klopp remarked about Van Dijk (via LiverpoolECHO). “It’s obviously a really good one in a tough game for defenders. I thought we performed tonight, we played a really good game in general.”

He then praised his players for effectively closing down spaces and lauded the Anfield faithful for their vocal support throughout the game.

“I really think the center-halves and Fabinho together, how they covered that area, how they denied the counter-attacks, how they defended into midfield, which is very important against a team which plays with one striker, I thought they did really well. In possession, we looked pretty good in a lot of moments, with Harvey and Stefan in the half-spaces. It worked well,” Klopp continued.

He added:

“I think Anfield proved a point tonight again. It was super, super enjoyable. It felt like a proper unit, we all together. I love that and it’s what we need again on Sunday.”

Liverpool will return to Premier League action with a mouth-watering clash with bitterest rivals Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday (5 March).

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Virgil van Dijk was back to his best in Liverpool’s win over Wolves

For much of the 2022-23 season, Virgil van Dijk has been below his stratospheric best. He has been outpaced, caught out of possession, and has often been hesitant to perform decisive defensive actions. Against Wolves, he put his sketchy recent record behind him to put in a towering shift.

In the 73rd minute, Van Dijk nodded Diogo Jota’s cross into an empty net, moments after his initial effort was saved by Jose Sa. He also created a chance, played nine passes into the final third, delivered four accurate long balls, made two clearances, and performed seven recoveries. Van Dijk was also formidable in the air, winning three aerial duels.