Wolverhampton Wanderers failed to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on Friday night as they were beaten 3-1 by Premier League champions Liverpool.
Just days after securing a dramatic 2-1 win over the Reds in the Premier League, Rob Edwards was unable to mastermind a second win in a row over Arne Slot.
Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah scored within two minutes of each other after the hour mark, before Curtis Jones wrapped up the win with a fine finish from the edge of the box.
salah-robertson-liverpool
Wolves now only have their last eight Premier League matches left to play before the end of the 2025/26 campaign, currently sitting 12 points adrift of safety.
The Old Gold, barring a miracle, will now be preparing for life in the Championship whilst making sure that they end the season with a bit of positive momentum.
Analysing Angel Gomes' performance against Liverpool
One of the many Wolves players who struggled against Liverpool was central midfielder Angel Gomes, who is on loan from Marseille until the end of the season.
The Old Gold have an option to sign him permanently for £6m in the summer transfer window, but his performances for the club so far suggest that they should avoid paying that fee.
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In the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool, Gomes was substituted with zero shots, zero chances created, and a pass completion rate of just 64% in the middle of the park, although he did win 100% of his tackles (1/1) and two of his three duels.
The central midfielder, who has not made a single interception in 257 Premier League minutes this season, struggled with the intensity and pace of the game against the Reds, which has generally been the case for him since he arrived in January.
Wolves do not have a mandatory purchase clause, though, which means that they can send him back to his parent club in the summer, unless his performances improve enough to see him earn a permanent move.
The Wolves flop who should not start again this season
Whilst Gomes should still be given more opportunities to prove that he is worth signing on a permanent deal, there is a Wolves flop who should never start again this season ahead of a summer exit.
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With the club likely needing to prepare for life in the Championship, Edwards should use his team selections to provide chances to players who could break through in the second tier.
Keeping that in mind, Jackson Tchatchoua should never start again for the Old Gold before being sold in the summer, after he put in another disappointing performance against Liverpool.
The 24-year-old full-back was too slow to close down Robertson twice in the space of two minutes, as he allowed the Scottish star to score the first goal and assist the second goal on the left flank.
Tchatchoua was even worse than Gomes because he lost 100% of his tackles (2/2) and lost three of his five ground duels, whilst being dribbled past twice, on top of being caught out for two of the three goals.
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The Cameroon international struggled defensively and offensively, failing to find a teammate with all four of his attempted crosses, and he should not be in Edwards' plans for the Championship.
|Wolves player ratings vs Liverpool|
|Player|Rating|
|---|
|Johnstone|6.5|
|Tchatchoua|3|
|Mosquera|5|
|S. Bueno|4|
|T. Gomes|5|
|H. Bueno|6|
|Bellegarde|6|
|J. Gomes|5|
|Mane|5|
|A. Gomes|4|
|Arokodare|6|
With zero goals and one assist in the Premier League, Tchatchoua has failed to prove himself offensively or defensively for the Old Gold throughout the campaign.
Meanwhile, 19-year-old right-back Pedro Lima was an unused substitute once again for Friday night's clash, and has only played three times as a substitute in the top-flight.
Rob-Edwards-Wolves
Tchatchoua's struggles at right-back should mean that the Brazilian defender is given an opportunity to prove his value between now and the end of the Premier League season, to show that he has what it takes to play a key role in the Championship next term, should they get relegated.
The Cameroon international, meanwhile, should not start any of the last eight games before the club should attempt to move him on in the summer window.
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