FA Cup: Liverpool 1-2 Wolves

Wolves players celebrate Richard Stearman's opener

Liverpool's miserable start to 2017 continued as they were beaten 2-1 at home in the fourth round of the FA Cup by Wolves on Saturday.

Having been eliminated from the EFL Cup at the semi-final stage by Southampton on Wednesday, Liverpool crashed out of another competition after making nine changes to their starting line-up. Richard Stearman put the Championship side ahead in the first minute when he headed home from a free-kick before Andreas Weimann doubled the advantage late in the half.

Liverpool looked laboured in attack and it took them until the final stages of the match to mount any sustained pressure. But an 86th-minute goal from Divock Origi was only a consolation as Wolves booked their place in the fifth round and condemned Liverpool to their third straight defeat.

Liverpool's focus now turns to the Premier League clash with Chelsea on Tuesday, a game that has been given extra significance for the Reds after two cup exits in quick succession. Perhaps with one eye on Chelsea, Jurgen Klopp rang the changes at Anfield, with only Roberto Firmino and Loris Karius keeping their places from the EFL Cup defeat to Southampton.

Wolves also made alterations, with 20-year-old Harry Burgoyne starting in goal due to Carl Ikeme's suspension. The visitors made a dream start as a free-kick from the right was curled in by Helder Costa and Stearman got ahead of the Liverpool defence to head in from six yards out.

Costa could have doubled the lead after 10 minutes as he carried the ball from inside his own half into the Liverpool box, but then poked his shot wide under pressure from Ben Woodburn. Although by the 20th minute Liverpool had enjoyed around 80 per cent of the possession, they had hardly threatened an equaliser.

Firmino shot wide after cutting in from the left side of the area, but Wolves continued to look threatening on the break, and they scored a second before the break. Costa burst clear, stayed on his feet under a challenge and threaded the ball through for Wiemann, who took it round the on-rushing Karius and tapped into the empty net.

There were a smattering of boos at half-time and Phillippe Coutinho was introduced in a bid to spark Liverpool into life. But despite applying more pressure, Liverpool did not test Burgoyne until the 60th minute, and even that was a comfortable save from Coutinho's long-range shot.

Liverpool continued to struggle to break the visitors down and, as the game entered the final stages, most of their efforts were from distance. Wolves went close when a header was flicked on for substitute Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, whose effort from eight yards out was kept out by Karius.

Origi pulled a goal back for Liverpool in the 86th minute when he fired in at the back post after Daniel Sturridge headed across goal. Shortly afterwards, Burgoyne made a good save with his legs to stop Origi finishing from a similar position.

But Wolves held out and almost finished in style as Borvarsson burst clear down the right, cut inside and then saw a shot blocked on the line by Lucas. Nevertheless, it was the visitors celebrating at the final whistle.