Wolves v Liverpool: Bruno Lage challenges his pack to halt the rampant Reds

The Molineux men’s sturdy backline, which boasts the third-best defensive record in the league, is tasked with halting a Reds attack who have pummelled 10 more Premier League goals than any other side this term.

The task the head coach’s side face could scarcely be more different from the challenge Burnley brought to Molineux in Wednesday’s goalless draw, in which the Clarets were happy to sit deep, defend their own penalty area and frustrate the hosts to take a point back to Lancashire.

Tomorrow – given the Reds’ current run of 18 matches in all competitions in which they have scored two or more goals – Wolves’ rearguard are likely to face more questions than at any point this season, while their a faltering frontline – which has managed just 12 goals in 14 top flight games – needs to find a way past Virgil van Dijk & Co.

Lage, however, backs his Wolves unit to rise to the challenge. He said: “The most important thing is the teamwork, that is so important. We start to play in an offensive way with our goalkeeper, we start defending with our strikers.

“For sure, now after 14 games our opponents can understand our game. If they give the space and the ball we can play our game and create our chances and, like on Wednesday, that’s what I want from the boys.

“If they (Liverpool) come with the high pressure to play in a physical way, we need to give a good answer, I think we did it that way, that’s a good thing we can take from the (Burnley) game and one more point in the Premier League.”

Wolves remain without Fernando Marcal and Daniel Podence after positive Covid-19 tests. Podence tested positive last Friday, so in line with 10 days of isolation is required to sit out a third match.

Supporters have voiced concern over a lack of goals within Wolves’ ranks after a return of just one Raul Jimenez winner against West Ham from the last four games.

Adama Traore was bright in patches against Burnley but his decision-making lacked in the crucial moments.

Lage insists he will not put more pressure on his players to find the back of the net, because the squad are put under pressure during each training session.

“For sure the most important thing is to create our own chances. We are there, creating chances, we didn’t score goals, I will not put the pressure on the boys,” Lage added.

“They know, because every day I put big pressure on them to work, to be better day by day, the goals are coming.

“If you remember the first games we didn’t score or get one point, in the next games we create chances, didn’t score, but take some points and (now) have three clean sheets in a row. It’s the teamwork and the most important thing is to keep going, game by game, understand what happened in the game and move on with the bigger vision to play against Liverpool.”