Wolverhampton Wanderers can end their 2023/24 season on a high this afternoon by ruining Jürgen Klopp’s farewell at Anfield.
The German ends his nine-year association with Liverpool today, but a win for Gary O’Neil’s men would be the perfect way to wrap up a decent campaign, giving them some momentum heading into the summer.
Wolves suffered a 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace during their final home game of the season in midweek and O’Neil could perhaps make a few changes to his starting XI for the visit to Anfield.
Hwang Hee-Chan may have scored 13 goals this term, but the South Korean was poor throughout the clash against the Eagles, and he could well be replaced.
Hwang Hee-Chan’s game in numbers vs Crystal Palace
Tasked with leading the line just in front of Matheus Cunha, O’Neil was looking for the former RB Leipzig centre-forward to offer a dangerous threat against a resurgent Palace side.
Instead, the manager was forced to watch a poor display which saw the South Korean manage just one shot all match (which was off target), succeed with zero dribble attempts and miss a big chance.
Goals
0
Assists
0
Key passes
0
Big chances created
0
Dribble attempts (successful)
1 (0)
Not only that, but Hwang’s distribution was also poor, as he completed just 14 of his 19 attempted passes while taking only 27 touches, 20 fewer than Daniel Bentley in goal.
Winning one duel out of five and losing possession nine times throughout the game suggests it wasn’t his finest performance for Wolves. Could O’Neil make a bold call ahead of the match against Liverpool and bring Pablo Sarabia into the starting XI after he started on the bench in midweek?
Pablo Sarabia’s statistics this season
The Spaniard has enjoyed a good season for the Old Gold, registering 14 goal contributions – four goals and ten assists – across 36 matches.
Sarabia’s goal involvements have come against the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Chelsea, which suggests he could be the ideal player to call upon against Liverpool this afternoon.
Thomas Tuchel, his former manager at Paris Saint-Germain, hailed Sarabia for his excellent abilities and work rate, saying:
"Pablo is really impressive. He runs well, with and without a ball. His game without the ball is a great example. He plays with a lot of intensity and does not stop [working] defensively."
Having a player who is willing to track back and commit to defensive duties could be vital if O’Neil wants to secure a point or three against the Merseyside outfit, with the former Bournemouth boss likely keeping his fingers crossed that the playmaker will be available, amid a "slight doubt" over his availability.
Sarabia currently ranks fourth among his teammates for overall Sofascore rating (7.22) in the top flight, while also ranking third for shots on target per game (0.6) and first for big chances created (nine), which is yet more evidence that he should be unleashed this afternoon.
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Dropping Hwang would be a bold call by the manager, but Sarabia clearly has a lot to offer, both in the final third and when Wolves don’t have the ball, indicating he could be the player who may make the difference against Klopp’s men in the final match of the season.