Mohamed Salah’s penalty sent Liverpool back to the top of the Premier League as they beat winless Wolves.
The forward’s second-half spot kick quickly restored an advantage that had been cancelled out by Rayan Ait-Nouri’s leveller after Ibrahima Konate’s first Premier League goal had given the visitors the lead at Molineux.
Arne Slot’s side capitalised on Manchester City’s 1-1 draw at Newcastle and moved back above Arsenal to reclaim top spot with a hard-fought win while the hosts remain bottom.
Wolves’ enthusiastic start was punctured by some nervous moments in defence but the struggling hosts opened well, with Alisson claiming Matheus Cunha’s effort.
Their issue this season is failing to convert positive performances into victories and, slowly, Liverpool wrestled a degree of control and should have gone ahead five minutes before the break.
Virgil van Dijk slipped in Diogo Jota on the right and his low cross was met by Dominik Szoboszlai four yards out, only for Sam Johnstone’s sprawling save to turn the ball wide.
Yet the visitors did open the scoring in first-half injury time when Jota breezed past Jorgen Strand Larsen, crossed for Konate and he rose above Toti Gomes to power in a header, although Johnstone may have done better.
Salah could have doubled the lead soon after the break but his snapshot from Mario Lemina’s woeful pass flew wide of an open goal before Wolves’ 56th-minute leveller.
Ait-Nouri fired in from close range following Carlos Forbs’ mis-hit shot after Larsen robbed a dozing Konate.
Parity lasted just five minutes, though, when Nelson Semedo pushed Jota in the box and Salah converted the spot kick to win it.