Liverpool’s ‘same old story’ is depressing and may cost them Champions League

Wolves 2-1 Liverpool: Andre’s 94th-minute deflected strike snatched an unlikely win for the Premier League’s bottom club - as the Reds dropped more points in injury time SportFootballLiverpool’s ‘same old story’ is depressing and may cost them Champions LeagueWolves 2-1 Liverpool: Andre’s 94th-minute deflected strike snatched an unlikely win for the Premier League’s bottom club - as the Reds dropped more points in injury time Richard Jolly at Molineux Wednesday 04 March 2026 08:04 GMTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover"Same old story" - Slot after Liverpool's 2-1 late defeat away to Wolves in Premier LeagueYour support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreIncreasingly, injury time is not Arne time. A night when Wolves could savour an action replay left Arne Slot lamenting the “same old story”. For the second time in four days, head coach Rob Edwards set off down the touchline in manic celebration. Wolves, as their fans had chorused, are bound for the Championship, but on the way they are bloodying the noses of those with ambitions of Champions League qualification. First Aston Villa and now Liverpool have fallen at Molineux.For Slot, the sense of déjà vu was depressing. His side are record breakers in the wrong sense, the first team in Premier League history to lose five matches in a season due to 90th-minute goals. “The three times we lost in the last 22 games were all three in extra time,” Slot said after Wolves, like Bournemouth and Manchester City before them, struck at the death. Include the late equalisers Fulham and Leeds got and Liverpool have let nine points slip through their grasp in injury time. It may cost them Champions League football.open image in galleryLiverpool have lost nine points from the 90th minute as Slot rued ‘the same old story’ (Jacob King/PA Wire)Liverpool could call their latest setback cruel, when the decider needed a deflection, when they had hit the woodwork twice. “That it happens in extra time might be a coincidence but it happens so many times,” said Slot. Once again, it calls into question Liverpool’s game management.For him, there were further familiar themes, another occasion when Liverpool dominated possession, had more shots, had the better of the statistics beyond the scoreline. “We hardly give away a chance but they score two,” he rued. Yet Virgil van Dijk did not plead misfortune. “I think it's down to ourselves,” said the Liverpool captain. “It was slow, we were predictable, sloppy in possession and [guilty of] wrong decision-making.” It was an excoriating verdict but scarcely an exaggeration.RecommendedFrustrated Arne Slot rues ‘same old story’ as Liverpool succumb to fresh setbackVirgil van Dijk offers scathing assessment of Liverpool’s stoppage-time loss to WolvesLiverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai shocks fans with new look for Wolves gameDefeat came late but Liverpool could trace it to their sluggish start. Even as they picked up the pace, even as Mohamed Salah ended a Premier League goal drought that had extended over four months, even though Wolves did not attempt a shot of any kind until their opening goal, Liverpool arguably did too little over the course of a match that was three-quarters forgettable fare, one quarter frenetic entertainment.Wolves began frustrating Liverpool with their obduracy and ended doing it with their attacking. They began compact and organised, four central midfielders and three centre-backs forming a solid block. But Edwards rationalised the game would open up and made influential substitutions. Two combined for the breakthrough with a second goal in as many games for the man who finished off Villa. Rodrigo Gomes had only been on the pitch for eight minutes when he struck. A fellow replacement, Tolu Arokodare, was too strong for Van Dijk, turning him and supplying on the on-rushing Gomes to dink a shot over Alisson.open image in galleryAndre’s deflected strike snatched all three points for Wolves (AFP via Getty Images)After Salah levelled, as Liverpool committed men forward in the search for a winner, so did Wolves. After Alisson’s poor kick, Andre’s shot looped up off Joe Gomez and left the goalkeeper helpless. Wolves, the team with the four Gomeses, got t