We are now mere hours away from Liverpool kicking off their next match in a loaded few weeks of fixtures. This time, they look to put the frustrations of the Merseyside Derby behind them as they square off with lowly Wolves.
However, they will do so without Arne Slot on the touchline nor Curtis Jones who both received red cards in the post-match chaos of the Derby.
With that being said, the Reds should still be considered favorites in this match. I have singled out a few players to watch when the action begins on Sunday.
Virgil van Dijk
Wednesday's battle with Everton was not the best performance we have ever seen from our No. 4. He was fine, but he did not rise to the occasion in a huge match like we normally see.
With no Slot directing traffic, van Dijk being on top of his game to direct things is going to be essential. He will need to be the leader on the pitch that we see most weeks.
I expect him to dominate in the air in this one because even though they have one or two bigger players, Wolves does not boast the consistent size that the Toffees did. He should have an easier time handling aerial challenges in this match, for example.
While Liverpool are favorites, van Dijk can set the tone early on that it will be a long day for the opposition if he comes out locked in and at peak form.
Matheus Cunha
The Wolves forward leads his side with 11 Premier League goals this season. In addition, he also has four assists in the league.
His 15 G/A contributions from 23 appearances indicates he is a force that will need to be dealt with by the likes of van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.
If Wolverhamton Wanderers are going to salvage any kind of positive result from this match, their goal or goals will probably come through Cunha in some shape or form. He's good enough to punish a lax defense, so this also reiterates the importance of a good van Dijk outing.
He averages 3.23 shots per 90 minutes which is higher than the likes of Ollie Watkins and Dominic Solanke. He is not short on confidence and can make magic happen from any moment.
Keep your eye on him.
Ryan Gravenberch
The Dutch midfielder is coming off one of his more pedestrian outings of a season full of excellent performances and sterling displays.
Facing Everton, he was not able to influence things like we have seen him do on several occasions, nor was he able to breakup the play a lot.
If he is able to turn it up a notch on Sunday, Wolves might not have a chance to create much in front of goal as Gravenberch will be cleaning things up side-to-side all day long.
His ability to turn defense into offense is a key attribute in a match that might see Wolves sitting deep, so the times they do get forward, having a player that can instantly spring a break is going to be crucial.
I also want to see how he responds to a frustrating result on Wednesday as well as his own mediocre game. It will be a good mental hurdle for him to clear and I expect him to do so with flying colors.