Wolves 0-3 Liverpool: Carroll Nets in Reds' Stroll

After a difficult first year at Anfield, Andy Carroll got his second off to the best possible start as he scored to help Liverpool to a comfortable 3-0 win at Molineux.

Exactly twelve months ago, Carroll was putting pen to paper in a £35m deal, but, with only six goals scored since, question marks have been raised about whether the big striker can make the grade at Anfield. However, after impressing in the FA Cup win over Manchester United on Saturday, Carroll marked his anniversary with a well-taken goal.

With Steven Gerrard given the night off after a hectic return to the side following his long injury lay-off, Jay Spearing returned to the Liverpool midfield after his own spell on the treatment table. Attempting to freshen his side up, Kenny Dalglish also opted to give recalls to the match winners from the Reds last two games, Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt.

Full of confidence after their cup heroics, Liverpool dominated proceedings, cutting through the Wolves defence at will. Carroll and Kuyt combined in the third minute, with the Dutchman failing to convert, before Bellamy prodded wide after an excellent Jordan Henderson through ball.

Daniel Agger was next to go close, when his 25th minute header forced home keeper Wayne Hennessey into a fine save. The Welsh number one was then called into action to stop international teammate Bellamy's 25-yard free-kick. Wolves were then lucky not to concede a penalty when Charlie Adam was seemingly bundled to the floor by a clumsy Emmanuel Frimpong challenge.

But, as has been the case so often his season, the visitors were unable to turn their supremacy into goals, and were very nearly made to pay when Michael Kightly, who had been the home side's one shining light, played a neat one-two with Steven Fletcher, before hitting a rasping half-volley which Pepe Reina did well to keep out.

Only seven minutes after the restart though, Liverpool finally found the net. A quick Bellamy throw-in found Adam, who hit a fantastic pin-point cross to the far post, where Carroll got in front of his marker to stab home from six yards.

Just after the hour mark, the lead was doubled when Bellamy picked the ball up on the left, was allowed to advance unchallenged to the edge of the box, before side-footing into the far corner, although Hennessey will feel he should have done better with the shot. The goal was the Welsh forward's sixth goal in seven league starts and no more than he deserved after another energetic performance.

Not content with two, the Reds looked for a third, with both Agger and Carroll heading narrowly wide. Kuyt saw a deflected shot tipped over by Hennessey, before the Reds cemented their win with twelve minutes to go. A flowing counter-attack saw Jose Enrique find Kuyt, who exchanged passes with Adam, before slotting in from an angle for his 50th Premier League goal for the Reds.

Wolves' sub Sylvain Ebanks-Blake struck the Liverpool post late on from 20 yards, but in truth the hosts were well beaten, with the home support voicing their frustration after the result left Mick McCarthy's struggling side second from bottom and without a win in nine games.

For Liverpool though, things are suddenly looking up. After a week which saw the Reds knock out both Manchester clubs to reach the Carling Cup final and the FA Cup 5th round, this win sees Dalglish's men move up to fifth in the Premier League, only four points off Chelsea, who currently occupy the last Champions League spot. With goals having been hard to come by so far this season, the sight of strikers Carroll, Kuyt and Bellamy all scoring will fill the Reds' faithful with excitement. Furthermore, this was the last game of star striker Luis Suarez' 8-game ban, meaning the Uruguayan forward is free to play when Tottenham Hotspur visit Anfield on Monday.