Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live text commentary from the Premier League clash between West Bromwich Albion and Liverpool at the Hawthorns.
Both sides have new managers going into the 21st Premier League season and are expected to hand debuts to several summer signings.
It's a big day for West Brom boss Steve Clarke, who left Liverpool to take charge at the Midlands club following the end of Kenny Dalglish's tenure.
Liverpool's new manager Brendan Rodgers is expected to unleash new recruits Fabio Borini and Joe Allen this afternoon, so they will be among the ones to watch.
West Brom new boy Romelu Lukaku, who has joined on loan from Chelsea, will be keen to make an impact and cement his position in the first team.
5.42pmThat's all from me today, but you can keep up with the rest of the day's Premier League action on Sports Mole. You can catch over coverage of Newcastle against Spurs here.
4.57pmIt will be interesting to see how Liverpool respond when they take on champions Manchester City in their next Premier League game. A full report and analysis of today's game is coming up.
4.45pmWest Brom had the Reds out-muscled and out-gunned in the second-half. The numerical advantage surely helped, but let's not take anything away from Steve Clarke's men.
93 minsThere goes the full-time whistle. It's a dream start for Clarke and West Brom, and a nightmare for Liverpool.
92 minsCaroll is letting his frustration get the better of him. He scraps with Olson and is shown the yellow card.
90 minsThree minutes of injury time to be played.
88 minsIt's been rude awakening for Rodgers. I'm sure he'll find out exactly how much pressure Dalglish was under last season!
87 minsWest Brom have had 70% possession during the closing stages here. They've really made their extra man count. A great second-half show from them!
83 minsMany of the Liverpool fans have seen enough now. They are flocking out the stadium. The home fans are singing "You're not famous any more". That's gotta hurt!
82 minsChance! Fortune forces a good save from Reina to keep the pressure on the Reds.
80 minsCole's hamstring injury is clearly still troubling him. He comes off for Caroll. It's been an unmitigated disaster for Liverpool today.
79 minsChance! Borini chips the ball in to Suarez, who heads wide. That was a sitter!
78 minsChance! Lukaku runs Skrtel ragged, and earns a corner through his deflected effort.
77 minsGOAL! It's a debut goal for Lukaku. He heads home from close range after Ridgewell puts in a measured cross! 3-0 to West Brom!
71 minsChance! Lukaku powers past Carragher and lays the ball on a plate for James Morrison, who blazes his shot over. What a chance wasted!
70 minsKelly goes down in the penalty area and the away fans appeal for a foul. The ref isn't interested, but there may have been something in that.
68 minsAnd there was a double sub for the home side too. Lukaku has replaced Long, and Gera made way for Fortune.
67 minsCole replaces Lucas, who looked absolutely knackered.
66 minsChance! Foster can't hold on to an in-swinging corner, and it falls to Suarez, who puts the ball over.
65 minsJoe Cole is about to come on for Liverpool. Can Cole power the Reds to a comeback?
63 minsGOAL! Odemwingie steps up this time and it's much more convincing. He powers home for 2-0!
62 minsIt's another penalty to West Brom as Long is clipped in the box by Skrtel.
59 minsLong steps up and takes the penalty, but it's a stinker! An easy save for Reina!
58 minsLiverpool bring on Jamie Carragher for Downing ahead of the pen.
57 minsHe can have no complaints. He was the last man and he shoved the striker.
57 minsPenalty! Agger is sent off for bringing down Long in the area, and the ref points to the spot!
55 minsLucas is shown the yellow card for a foul on Morrison.
55 minsWest Brom's back four have been like a brick wall today. Liverpool will have to raise their game if they want to break through it.
51 minsGerrard wins a corner, but West Brom's McAuley clears it. Impressive composure from the Irishman.
50 minsGera does well to close down Skrtel. He shows exactly why he is something of a legend here at the Hawthorns.
48 minsSuarez hits it wide of the post.
47 minsSuarez earns a free kick on the edge of the opposition's penalty area. A clumsy challenge from Mulumbu.
4.03pmLiverpool get the game back under way.
3.59pmLiverpool will have to dig deep to get back into this, but I'm going to stick with my initial prediction of 1-1.
3.55pmLet's take nothing away from the home side, though. They've battled hard and lead through an early contender for goal of the season.
3.53pmIt's been a decent half that could really have gone either way. Suarez has looked like scoring all afternoon, and will be unlucky not to if he keeps it up.
47 minsAnd there goes the half-time whistle. Gera's netbuster separates the teams at the break.
47 minsSuarez is booked for dissent. A needlessly harsh decision by the referee there.
45 minsThe ref indicates that there will be two minutes of stoppage time.
43 minsThe corner found its way to the Hungarian just outside the area, he took it on his chest and let fly. Reina had no chance!
43 minsGOAL! Zoltan Gera with stunning volley into the top corner to put West Brom 1-0 up! What a goal!
41 minsReid wins a corner with the resulting free kick.
40 minsJohnson is booked for a foul on Odemwingie. His challenge was late, so the ref got that right.
40 minsHalf-chance for Liverpool. Gerrard goes for goal from a free kick, and it rebounds to Lucas, who can't react quickly enough.
38 minsJohnson shows exactly why he plays in defence, putting his strike into row z. Great skill by Suarez during the build-up.
37 minsBorini is being booed by the home fans now for appealing for a foul when he clattered into Ridgewell. There was nothing wrong with the defender's challenge. He stood his ground.
33 minsGerrard tries to play in Borini, and the striker runs straight into Ridgewell and hits the deck. That looked painful, but he's on his feet again now.
31 minsPoor communication between Skrtel and Reina leads to a needless corner for the Baggies.
29 minsChance! Johnson whips in a cross from the left. Suarez leaps to meet it, but can't quite get high enough to direct his effort towards goal.
26 minsGood ball from Gerrard to Downing in the middle of the park, but he loses it allowing West Brom to break.
25 minsSuarez bursts into the West Brom penalty area, but Reid keeps him at bay and he fires wide.
24 minsOlsson tumbles in the Liverpool box, but the ref waves away his penalty claim, and rightly so.
20 minsLiverpool are looking the more dangerous, though. Suarez is playing with conviction. You always think something is about to happen when he picks up the ball.
16 minsWest Brom have had the better of the possession so far, with 55% to Liverpool's 45%.
10 minsAgger gives away a free kick just outside the Liverpool penalty area. Long earns a corner from the resulting free kick, which is dealt with easily.
9 minsChance! Suarez shows off his silky skills at the other end and forces a great save from Ben Foster!
8 minsChance! West Brom's Long dispossesses Lucas and cuts into the box. With no support, he tries to chip Reina but puts his effort over the bar.
6 minsLiverpool are settling into the game now. They're looking strong in midfield, an area they will be looking to control through that man Gerrard.
4 minsDowning bursts down the flank and puts in a great cross to Borini, who can't quite reach it. He should have done better there.
2 minsRidgewell shoots over from outside the box. It wasn't a million miles away. Good pressure from the home side.
1 minReid fires an early cross into the Liverpool box. Johnson scuff his clearance and West Brom earn a corner, which the squander.
3.00pmReferee Phil Dowd gets the game under way. Let the new Premier League season begin!
2.58pm4-3-3 for both teams today, a system that worked well for Rodgers at Swansea City.
2.56pmThe teams are about to step out onto the pitch, and the atmosphere at the Hawthorns is incredible.
2.52pmIt's a very difficult one to call today. Liverpool are the favourites, but let's not write off West Brom. They were incredibly tough to beat last season. I think I'm going to sit on the fence and say 1-1.
2.46pmThere's just under 15 minutes to go until kickoff, so why not check out our recent interview with Liverpool legend Kevin Keegan? You can find it here.
2.42pmThere is no place in the Liverpool starting 11 for Andy Caroll today. Rodgers's decision to place him on the bench will no doubt add fuel to those rumours linking him with a move away from Anfield.
2.38pmThe Hawthorns saw more goals in the opening 15 minutes than any other Premier League ground during the 2011/12 season, so we could be off to a flier here today.
2.35pmA couple of interesting statistics going into this one. West Brom conceded the joint-most penalties in the top flight during the last campaign, while Suarez was awarded the most. Could we see a spot kick or two today?
2.29pmRodgers: "I think like a lot of teams, they'll be hard to beat. We'll see over the course of time what Steve's philosophy will be as a manager. You only get to really see that in someone when they're the No.1. When you're the No.2, you do your work and your coaching, but it will always be led by the manager."
2.27pmClarke: "They have said top four is not imperative for the current campaign. I don't believe that. A club like Liverpool have to be challenging for the top four. I don't think the club or the fans can expect anything less. Kenny and I went in at a difficult time. We stabilised the club. We didn't envisage not being there this season and we were pretty sure Liverpool would be in the top four. We agreed that was realistic for this season."
2.27pmSome pre-match quotes from both managers coming up...
2.24pmWest Brom's new recruit Romelu Lukaku is also a man with a point to prove. He joined the club on loan from Chelsea for the opportunity of regular first-team football. Put one past Pepe Reina today, and he might just get his wish.
2.21pmLuis Suarez is one to watch as always, with the Uruguayan forward will be looking to put the troubles of last season behind him. He signed a new long-term deal over the summer, and will be out to impress today.
2.21pmAnd some match odds for you: West Brom 16/5, Liverpool 10/11, Draw 5/2.
2.18pmWest Brom: Foster, Reid, McAuley, Olsson, Ridgewell, Mulumbu, Yacob, Odemwingie, Dorrans, Brunt, Lukaku
2.15pmLiverpool: Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Enrique, Lucas, Gerrard, Allen, Suarez, Downing, Borini
2.13pmLiverpool will hand league debuts to new boys Joe Allen and Fabio Borini today. Full team news coming up...
2.09pmWe have a mouthwatering clash on our hands today. Steve Clarke faces his former club, and new Reds boss Brendan Rodgers will be looking to make a good impression in his first Premier League game in charge.
2.08pmGood afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of Liverpool's opening game of the new Premier League campaign away to West Bromwich Albion.
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