Liverpool 2-1 Wolves: xG, Territory and the Fine Margins of Game Management
A statistical breakdown of how Liverpool built control, then struggled to sustain it
Liverpool’s 2–1 win over Wolves will not live long in the memory for fluency or comfort, but it should be remembered for what it revealed about where Arne Slot’s side currently stands in this Premier League season. On the surface, this was a home victory built on dominance, territory and chance quality. Underneath it sat familiar issues around game control, late pressure and physical drop-off.
Liverpool deserved the three points. The numbers confirm it. The manner in which those points were secured, however, speaks to a team still learning how to manage games across ninety minutes in a league that increasingly punishes any lapse.
Possession, passing and territorial authority
Liverpool controlled this match from the opening whistle. With 67% possession, 660 passes and an 88% pass accuracy, the structure and intent were clear from early on. Wolves were largely pinned back, forced into a narrow, reactive shape, and struggled to prevent Liverpool progressing into advanced areas.
What stands out most is not just the volume of possession, but where it was used. Liverpool completed 402 passes in the opposition half, more than double Wolves’ 123. This territorial dominance translated into pressure around the box, with 41 touches in Wolves’ penalty area compared to just 13 the other way.
