Prediction: Liverpool vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

Verdict: Both teams to score

Best odds: 8/11

Bookmaker: 888sport

In the final round of the Premier League season, Liverpool will play host to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield on Sunday. With the match bearing no real competitive importance for either side, the focus will surely be on the fact that it will be the last time Jurgen Klopp takes charge of the Liverpool team, and in front of their own supporters too, on what’s guaranteed to be a very emotional afternoon for the Reds.

Wolves travel to Anfield on the back of a 1-3 home loss to Crystal Palace, while Liverpool return home for the final game of the season after a 3-3 draw away to Aston Villa.

Liverpool

It’s been almost nine years since Klopp arrived at Liverpool, and the change he inspired within the club is astounding. The Reds were almost a mid-table team back in the autumn of 2015 but still managed to reach the Europa League final. It took just three years for them to play in the Champions League the final, another one to win UEFA’s elite club competition, and yet another one to end a 30-year wait for the Premier League title. Since then, they’ve won the Carabao Cup twice, as well as one FA Cup trophy. With Manchester City on the verge of winning their sixth league title in seven years, the fact that in that period only Klopp’s Liverpool managed to take them off the throne for a season truly stands out as a great achievement.

Liverpool were genuine contenders in the title race this season as well and for a time they had it in their own hands, but a string of underwhelming results eventually caused them to drop out. Whichever way this game goes, the Merseysiders will finish third, behind Manchester City and Arsenal, and comfortably ahead of Aston Villa in fourth place.

Klopp’s team scored nine goals over their last three Premier League matches, but they also conceded seven, and with no other motivation than to see off their glorious manager with a bang, they’ll surely put on another goal spectacle on Sunday.

Team News

Liverpool have confirmed that Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip will leave as free agents at the end of the season, and with both players ruled out through different injury issues, they’ve obviously already played their last game for the club.

Left-back Andy Robertson and forward Diogo Jota both face late fitness tests to determine if they’ll play for Klopp’s Liverpool one last time or not.

The rest of the squad are all available for selection, and despite the lack of competitive importance, Klopp will likely name a strong lineup to start as there are no other games to save his players for.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Sitting 13th with 46 points, two less than Brighton and Bournemouth in 10th and 11th, respectively, on the same tally as Crystal Palace in 12th, and two points more than Fulham in 14th, Wolves can obviously still go up or down in the rankings on the final day of the campaign, but they can’t reach European places and they obviously aren’t worrying about relegation.

Wolves aren’t on very good form at the moment, having won only once in their last nine league games, against relegation-threatened Luton Town. They drew against the already relegated Burnley, and Nottingham Forest who appear set to survive. Meanwhile, in that same span, they were beaten by Aston Villa, West Ham, Arsenal, Bournemouth, Manchester City and Crystal Palace.

Gary O’Neil’s team will surely want to be a part of the grand occasion at Anfield on Sunday and will do their best to prevent a happy ending for Klopp’s tenure at Liverpool. However, it remains to be seen if they have what it takes to stop the home team whose quality surpasses their own by quite a lot, at the iconic venue where the home supporters will be in full voice.

Team News

Winger Pedro Neto, linked with Liverpool among other clubs over the past few months, could return from a thigh injury to try and score again against Liverpool, having caused the Merseysiders quite a lot of problems in a number of previous encounters.

For defender Craig Dawson and striker Leon Chiwone, however, the season is over.

Goalkeeper Jose Sa was absent through illness against Palace and he’s almost certain to start at Anfield.

Midfielder Joao Gomes, another name recently linked with Liverpool, is also expected to start in the middle of the park and with Thiago leaving, Liverpool could truly show interest in his services, which would certainly provide extra motivation for the 23-year-old playmaker to show what he can do at a full Anfield.

Along with Pedro (if he starts), Hwang Hee-chan and Matheus Cunha will form the attacking line.

Conclusion

The outcome of this match will be of secondary importance for both sides, but Liverpool will surely open their game up fully and seek to control, score goals and thrill their manager for the last time. They’re huge favourites to win, of course, but Wolves are likely to make their mark on the contest as well.

Verdict: Both teams to score

Best odds: 8/11

Bookmaker: 888sport