Liverpool ended 2025 in strong fashion, recording a fourth straight win and stretching their unbeaten run to seven games. Even so, Arne Slot’s team once again found ways to complicate a match that many expected to be straightforward.
As defending Premier League champions, the Reds started as heavy favourites against a Wolves side that had taken only two points all season.
When Ryan Gravenberch and Florian Wirtz scored in quick succession inside a 90-second burst just before the break, it appeared Liverpool were on course for a comfortable afternoon at Anfield.
The speed and quality of the goals hinted that the second half would be played largely on Liverpool’s terms.
That sense of ease quickly disappeared. Five minutes after the restart, Santiago Bueno punished Liverpool’s continued weakness from set pieces by pulling a goal back for Wolves.
The goal immediately changed the mood in the stadium, replacing confidence with anxiety. As Wolves gained belief and Liverpool struggled to reassert control, the atmosphere became tense and uneasy.
The nerves were so visible that Ibrahima Konaté gestured to the crowd to raise the noise levels, attempting to lift both his teammates and the energy inside the ground during a nervy finale.
Konaté himself has been under scrutiny this season for inconsistent form. Another player who has faced similar criticism is Milos Kerkez, whose early performances even led Gary Neville to make an unflattering comparison to a “10-year-old.”
Against Wolves, however, the 22-year-old Hungarian left-back produced one of his most positive displays since joining the club. Kerkez played with greater confidence and control, contributing both defensively and going forward.
His performance earned praise from Liverpool Echo journalist Ian Doyle, who awarded him a 7/10 rating and highlighted his willingness to provide width on the left.
Doyle also noted Kerkez’s work rate, pointing out how he consistently tracked back while also supporting attacks, and how his intensity after the interval helped lift the crowd.
The numbers backed up the impression. Sofascore credited Kerkez with seven duels won, two successful dribbles from three attempts, and an impressive 96 percent pass accuracy, completing 69 of his 72 passes.
Defensively, he added four tackles and four clearances, underlining his all-round contribution.
Kerkez looked solid at the back and adventurous going forward, even finding space in the first half for a promising attempt that drifted into the Anfield Road Stand — a sign of growing belief in his own game.
His aggressive style also disrupted Wolves midfielder André Trindade, leading to a heated exchange after the break. With the Brazilian already booked, referee Simon Hooper opted for a warning rather than further punishment.
After a difficult beginning to his Liverpool career, Kerkez can take genuine encouragement from this display. If he can build on performances like this, he could yet become a valuable long-term option for Slot’s side in the seasons ahead.
