DARWIN'S EVOLUTION

Brilliant Nunez and Salah fire up Reds, but it's not enough as gritty Wolves are denied a late win by VAR in comeback

- ANDY DUNN

AHEAD of this tie, Jurgen Klopp explained how Liverpool's vulnerability this season had at least given Alisson the chance to showcase his world-class status.

Talk about words returning to haunt. A rare unconvincing performance from the Brazilian keeper went a long way to make Klopp have to endure his worst-case scenario... a draw and a replay.

But another crack at the FA Cup holders was the least Wolves deserved after an enterprising display that exposed Liverpool's continuing frailties. With an EFL Cup quarter-final this coming Wednesday and a Premier League home fixture against West Ham United on Saturday, there will be no shortage of supporters willing to understand Julen Lopetegui making NINE changes for this match.

And, as the Wolves first string has hardly been pulling up any trees this season, it was obviously no bad thing for Lopetegui to seriously mix things up.

Klopp, in contrast, fielded what he presumably sees as the strongest Liverpool side available to him.

And that strongest side included £37million signing Cody Gakpo, the Dutch striker who made a very decent impression at Qatar 2022.