Jurgen Klopp admitted Liverpool’s first-half struggles left him questioning his side – before the Reds hit back to win at Wolves.
Andrew Robertson’s late strike and Hugo Bueno’s injury-time own goal completed Liverpool’s 3-1 victory at Molineux.
Cody Gakpo had levelled earlier in the second half as Liverpool earned a third comeback victory of the season and fourth straight win. They are now unbeaten in 16 Premier League games, stretching back to last season.
Hwang Hee-Chan’s opener had put vibrant Wolves in command and only a shocking miss from Matheus Cunha stopped them from adding to their lead.
Klopp had criticised the early kick-off after the international break – with Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Alisson and Alexis Mac Allister all returning from South America on Friday – and conceded he was worried during a wretched first half.
He said: “In the first half I thought ‘WTF?’ a couple of times. We were not ready in the first half but Wolves did really well.
“With these boys, some of them we’ve had seven, eight, nine weeks with, some of them longer, I know if they can be, they are there. Today they couldn’t in a lot of moments.
“I know if you get through the first half with a reasonable result, you can turn it.
“The team needed help and we could deliver the help a little bit with the changes and change of system. They were completely different halves.
“The same players who looked rusty in the first half, in the second half it looked much easier.
“Wolves played a super first half but in the second half we were really good and controlled the game.
“We stayed calm, there was no rush, 3-1 was a result I didn’t expect after 20 minutes but during the second half we deserved it.”
Wolves dominated early and Hwang grabbed a seventh-minute goal when he swept in Pedro Neto’s low cross.
Livewire Neto caused chaos and he gift-wrapped a chance for Cunha after 33 minutes when he breezed past Joe Gomez to cross for the striker to miscue an unmarked header from five yards.
It kept Liverpool in the game and, after introducing Luis Diaz at the break, the visitors levelled 10 minutes later.
Gakpo and Diaz managed to smuggle the ball to Salah on the right and his low ball was turned in by the unmarked Gakpo.
Wolves lost all their first-half fearlessness, failing to create another chance, but it took until the 86th minute for Liverpool to capitalise.
Jose Sa’s poor clearance fell for Robertson just inside Wolves’ half. The defender burst forward to swap passes with Salah and finish from seven yards.
Harvey Elliott’s 20-yard strike then deflected off Bueno in stoppage time to seal victory.
Wolves boss Gary O’Neil said: “If you look at the two sides, the gap in quality, it takes a big effort to close that.
“I thought we did for a very long time. The organisation and structure managed to help us bridge that gap.
“When we were on top we could have taken one or two of our good situations.
“We were digging in and then we make a strange decision, create a bit of chaos and concede the second goal.
“At 1-1 they’ve had a lot of the ball but we made a strange decision and it cost us a goal. Up until 80 minutes to have pushed Liverpool that close was a very good effort.
“We conceded a crazy second goal which is what I’ve been trying to get out of the players since I’ve been here.”
Mexico boss Aguirre struck by beer can after Honduras defeat
Mexico coach Javier Aguirre was left bloodied after he was struck with a beer can in the aftermath of El Tri's 2-0 CONCACAF Nations League defeat to Honduras.
The can was thrown from the stands and struck Aguirre as he approached Honduras coach Reinaldo Rueda for a post-match handshake on Friday.
Celtic winger Luis Palma came off the bench to score both Honduras goals as they seized a 2-0 lead in the teams' quarter-final tie, which will be settled in Toluca on Tuesday.
CONCACAF has said it will investigate the incident, which Aguirre was unwilling to speak about after the match.
"They deserved to win, they were better than us in al areas, I've got nothing left but to congratulate them, and well, to try to lift my team's spirit," said Aguirre.
"The other thing, there's no point in even mentioning it because, well it's football, I'm not one to complain. Their fans made us feel very welcome."
Honduras boss Rueda, meanwhile, said the incident had overshadowed an impressive victory for his team.
"I'm sad because he's a human being. They hit the coach, that can't happen," said Rueda.
Uruguay's last-gasp win over Colombia will 'bring everyone closer', says Bielsa
Marcelo Bielsa believes Uruguay's memorable 3-2 win over Colombia in World Cup Qualifying, secured by Manuel Ugarte's 101st-minute strike, will "bring everyone closer".
Former Leeds United boss Bielsa had found himself under pressure, with La Celeste going five matches without victory since finishing third at the Copa America.
However, they climbed to second in the CONMEBOL qualification group – ahead of Colombia on goal difference – by edging a five-goal thriller in Montevideo.
Andres Gomez's 96th-minute strike had appeared to salvage a point for Colombia, but Ugarte volleyed home following a knock-down from Facundo Pellistri mere moments after Uruguay had kicked off again.
Speaking after the dramatic finale, Bielsa said: "Victories like today are healing in the sense that they bring everyone closer, around a feeling as strong as Uruguay's connection with the national team.
"It was a very exciting match, and the players' determination to secure the win was evident.
"They have a well-oiled style of play; they defend, press, manage the ball, and have individual brilliance, which makes them a tough rival to beat.
"It's not easy to win against this opponent, as they have physically gifted, technically proficient players across all positions, many of whom can change the game's dynamics."
Next up, Uruguay face Brazil, with the Selecao languishing in fourth after they played out a frustrating 1-1 draw with Venezuela on Thursday.
Bielsa, however, is under no illusions regarding the magnitude of the task awaiting his team in Salvador on Tuesday.
"If Colombia is an athletically strong team with an offensively capable system that creates danger and has organisation in possession, Brazil has that and more," he said.
"We will try to control the ball in their half and not ours. Sometimes we succeed, and sometimes we don't, like against Venezuela."
Amorim wants Man Utd players to be inspired by club's history
Ruben Amorim wants his Manchester United players to be inspired by the club's history as he bids to bring a winning mentality back to Old Trafford.
Amorim, taking over at the Premier League club following the departure of Erik ten Hag, was speaking in his first interview with the club after a tour of their home venue.
The Portuguese tactician had visited Old Trafford earlier in the week and met a group of supporters, as well as the women's team's vice-captain, England star Ella Toone.
"When you come [to Old Trafford], it's so different. You see the trophies, you see the tragedy that we have as a club. The history," said Amorim.
The 39-year-old added the manner in which the club defied the odds to succeed under Matt Busby after the Munich air disaster in 1958 should be a particular source of inspiration.
"This kind of strength, I think it's important to put in our team. When the players come here, they should take the stadium tour all the time. I think this is very important to do," Amorim said.
"It's normal if you go a lot of years without winning, you start losing that feeling. So I think we need to put all the players doing the same thing, to regain that feeling.
"We haven't won the Premier League for a long time. But if you ask, United is the biggest club in England.
"So this is part of history, it is not now. So we have to address that, to show that and to try to win again."
Asked what his footballing philosophy is, the former midfielder said it all comes down to being a team.
"The team is the most important thing for me. And if you work as a team, then the talent individually is going to shine," he said.
"But if I have to explain the importance of everything, it is the character, the way we fight, the way we play, and we must have an identity.
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