I saw what Wolves boss Vitor Pereira did during Liverpool defeat - it spoke a thousand words

Wolves may not have taken any points home from their recent visit to Anfield but head coach Vitor Pereira prompted some important talking points during and after the match.

The Old Gold, just two points above the bottom three, are far from securing safety from relegation just yet but there were some very positive signs during the second half of the defeat at Liverpool. Wolves became the first team since 2003 to stop the Reds from registering a single shot during the second half of a Premier League match at Anfield, with Pereira’s tactics playing a key role in that.

Perched in the press box approaching half time, it was easy to sense the contrasting moods of the two supporter bases within the blistering cold Anfield mist. Liverpool fans were upbeat and confident with their two-goal advantage while the travelling Molineux faithful were understandably despondent. Fury was rising in the air of the away end, too, as Ibrahima Konate controversially escaped a second yellow card just before the interval.

Inspired mentality shift

Fast forward to the start of the second half, Wolves looked a completely different team – and the mood in the away end was lifted by the rapid upturn in personality on the field. The visitors had gone from awarding Liverpool far too much respect and feeling rather sorry for themselves to showing they can compete with whomever they desire if they put their minds to it.

Wanderers were more aggressive, displayed far better flair and belief on the ball and pressed higher – most importantly as a unit, determined to clinch back possession as soon as it was lost. That’s exactly what happened on so many occasions as Liverpool were trapped in their own half for much of the second period, unable to threaten as the title favourites they are.

Anfield then turned nervy as Matheus Cunha scored a wonderful goal in the 67th minute. The Brazilian picked up the ball from a clever Jean-Ricner Bellegarde flick, chopped past a rather helpless Ryan Gravenberch and let fly with a curling effort from 25 yards that beat Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson at full stretch.

Wolves pushed on and on to try and source an equaliser but were unsuccessful in doing so. Nonetheless, they certainly applied the necessary pressure and Arne Slot admitted after the game it was the first time he’d felt a true sense of panic that his team wouldn’t see out a victory. In the end, Liverpool’s relentless winning mentality was enough to see out three points, but only just.

Pereira works his magic

So how did Wolves achieve such a marked improvement in the second half? Were the players embarrassed? Did Pereira give the hairdryer treatment in the half-time team talk? Or was it the manager’s tactical genius? Well, as it turns out, it was a mix of all three.

Two inspired substitutions at the break made a huge difference for Wolves as Pablo Sarabia and Goncalo Guedes were replaced by Marshall Munetsi and Bellegarde. Sarabia and Guedes had been static up top as they failed to cause Liverpool’s defenders any real trouble but Munetsi and Bellegarde achieved the complete opposite.

Although usually a defensive midfielder, Munetsi was deployed as a false nine striker in what turned out to be quite the tactical masterstroke. Bellegarde, meanwhile, made a huge difference with his energy and tenacity on the right flank – and he even chipped in with the assist for Cunha’s goal.

“What he did for us was what I didn’t find in the first half,” Pereira said of Munetsi during his post-match press conference. “He started to press them, forcing mistakes. Even the best players in the world, with pressure and without time to think they can commit mistakes. They started to do mistakes and bad decisions but we need to force them.

“What Munetsi did was this. Him and Bellegarde. If the first line of pressure goes to press and the second line forgets to go or the second line goes and the first line forgets, we cannot win games. But if you start to go with coordination and press them on the front foot, trying to understand the way to invite them in the areas we want to press — it means we must be intelligent, coordinate and we must be committed as a block,” the manager added.

Pereira’s half-time decision - a clear sign of tactical versatility under pressure - said everything, especially with how left-field it was to put Munetsi in such an unusual position. The result may not have been there on this occasion but the Old Gold showed they can finally be reactive and manage games effectively.

Wolves must now exert this inner confidence going forward. After all, the potential is certainly within the pack.

In other news, Pereira has confirmed three new Wolves injuries including one big worrying concern.