Liverpool’s Gini Wijnaldum shares what has impressed him about Wolves

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Liverpool face one of their toughest tests of the Premier League season as they travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers for Friday’s clash at Molineux.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have only been a Premier League team for a few months but they have already gained a reputation as a team capable of bloodying the noses of the big boys.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have beaten Chelsea and drawn against Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal so far. Liverpool, then, will be under no illusions that they face a tough task when they travel to Molineux on Friday night.

And, speaking to Liverpool’s official website, midfielder Gini Wijnaldum has acknowledged that Wolves could cause Jurgen Klopp’s league leaders problems if they are not at their best while praising the purist style embodied by the Premier League newcomers.

“I think Wolves have shown already against the ‘big’ teams that they are a good playing side, especially at home, so it’s going to be a really, really tough game. We know we have to be 100 per cent concentrated to win that game,” Wijnaldum said.

“They are not a team who just play [to avoid] relegation, or play long balls and try to fight for the second ball. They are a team who are trying to play football, that’s what they showed until now.

“When they have to play long balls they will do it, but when you give them time to play football, they play football and I think they have the players for that. I think that’s why they do it so well this season because they played with the quality they have.”

Wolves go into the game with huge confidence after a brilliant run of form. Since a worrying 2-1 defeat at Cardiff City in early December, they have roared back with successive victories against Chelsea, Newcastle United and Bournemouth.

But ending Liverpool’s unbeaten start to the season would arguably be Wolves’ biggest achievement so far.

That is easier said than done, however, given that Liverpool have the league’s best defensive record and can count on the mercurial talents of Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and co at the other end.