Old Gold | Wolves’ Molineux meetings with Liverpool

After Wolves broke a 40-year hoodoo on Saturday afternoon which saw the men in gold and black finally beat Liverpool in a league clash at Molineux, wolves.co.uk takes a look back at some of the memorable home meetings with the Reds across history.

In recent years, the victories have all seem to fall the way of the visitors, but over the course of time, Wolves have had their fair share of joy at facing Liverpool at the golden palace. Here are 20 previous clashes which demonstrate the ups and downs of football.

29th September 1894 | Just over 12 months after their FA Cup victory, Wolves faced newly promoted Liverpool in the top-flight, and came out 3-1 winners thanks to goals from Jasper Reynolds, David Black and Harry Wood.

15th February 1896 | The teams face off in the FA Cup for the first time in just their third ever meeting, and Wolves would this time maintain their unbeaten record against the Reds as Wood and Billy Owen find the net.

3rd November 1900 | Liverpool kick off the 20th century by claiming their first ever league title, but that didn’t stop them falling to a 3-0 loss at Molineux during the first half of the season.

3rd February 1923 | The two Dicks – Forshaw and Johnson – combine to earn Liverpool their first ever FA Cup win at Molineux as the Reds beat Division Two Wolves 2-0.

31st May 1947 | Despite Wolves having won nine of their previous 11 meetings, the sides went head-to-head on the final day of the 1946/47 season in a game which would see the winners lift the league title, but unfortunately for the hosts, it was Liverpool who claimed a 2-1 victory.

12th February 1949 | Wolves get their revenge two years later with a 3-1 win in the FA Cup fifth round, as a Billy Wright-led gold and black side go all the way to lifting the cup at Wembley.

7th September 1953 | The last Molineux meeting for a decade sees the clubs go in very different directions as 2-1 winners Wolves lift the league title and spend the rest of the 50s as one of the best sides in Europe, while Liverpool succumbs to relegation into Division Two.

4th May 1976 | However, the shoe is on the other foot 20 years later, as Liverpool’s 3-1 win at Molineux on the final day of the 1975/76 season sees them named champions of England, while simultaneously relegating the hosts.

10th April 1979 | Wolves’ time out of the top-flight is only brief, as they come straight back up as Division Two champions, but despite the problems caused by Billy Rafferty, Liverpool come out on top in this Black Country meeting.

29th August 1981 | This was the last time Wolves beat Liverpool at Molineux in the top-flight. Here, Wolves striker Andy Gray is challenged by Liverpool's Alan Hansen, but youngster Mick Mathews was the man to fire the old gold to a 1-0 victory to start the campaign.

27th August 1983 | Geoff Palmer earned Wolves a 1-1 draw against Liverpool on the opening day of the 1983/84 term, but that was as good as it got for the hosts as they ended the season relegated and entered the darkest period in the club’s history.

20th July 1999 | Wolves would remain out of the top-flight for the next 19 years, but they did face Liverpool once in that time – a pre-season friendly, which featured a young Steven Gerrard ahead of his first full season as a Liverpool regular.

21st January 2004 | With Wolves back in the top-flight, Gerrard gets to grip with the man he replaced in the Liverpool midfield – old goal captain Paul Ince, during a 1-1 Premier League draw.

26th January 2010 | Six years later and it’s another meeting at Molineux that ends with a point apiece as Wolves hold Liverpool out during their first of three Premier League seasons in succession.

22nd January 2011 | Wolves and Liverpool love a January meeting! This time, the hosts aren’t as successful as Fernando Torres scores twice in a 3-0 win for the visitors.

21st December 2018 | Romain Saiss comes close to scoring for Wolves as his side continue their wretched home record against the Reds, who come out on top by two goals to nil.

7th January 2019 | But just over two weeks later, Wolves celebrate their first Molineux win against the Reds in what feels like an eternity, as Ruben Neves’ stunner earns his side a place in the fourth round of the Emirates FA Cup – a journey which ends in the semi-finals.

4th December 2021 | Wolves are denied a point late on as Divock Origi nets a last-minute winner to condemn the hosts to successive 1-0 home defeats against the Reds.

17th January 2023 | Less than a month ago, it was Harvey Elliott’s long-range effort which secured Liverpool’s place in the next round of the FA Cup after a controversial first leg at Anfield saw the tie continue for another 90 minutes in the Black Country.

4th February 2023 | Saturday brought jubilation not seen in the top-flight against Liverpool at Molineux for more than 40 years, as Wolves claim a 3-0 win as well as recording their joint-largest ever margin of victory against the Reds at home.

Old Gold