Hello, and welcome to
Sports Mole's live coverage of the match in the Premier League between
West Bromwich Albion and
Liverpool.
The form of Liverpool has been questioned since the start of the year but they go into their fixture at The Hawthorns this afternoon with the chance to reclaim third spot in the Premier League table. They can't be doing that shabbily, can they? That perception probably stems from the fact that they are struggling to keep clean sheets and are having to fight for every point but they have made the journey to the West Midlands with every chance of gaining a top-four spot in the table at the end of the campaign.
As for West Brom, it has been an excellent season for the Baggies and
Tony Pulis will be delighted that they sit in eighth place in the standings. However, there will also be a feeling of what could have been with the club having lost to Crystal Palace, Watford and Southampton during their last six outings and different results would have seen them challenging for a Europa League spot. The main issue for Pulis now is halting a run of four setbacks in half-a-dozen fixtures because they have effectively come to a standstill. They need to rediscover the momentum they once had because if they don't finish the season in their current position, it will be considered a disappointment.
Right then, I suppose you will be wanting a bit of team news? Both starting lineups and substitutes are coming right up...
WEST BROMWICH ALBION XI: Foster, Dawson, McAuley, Evans, Brunt, Fletcher, Yacob, Livermore; Phillips, Chadli; Robson-Kanu
WEST BROMWICH ALBION SUBSTITUTES: Myhill, M.Wilson, Nyom, Morrison, McClean, Rondon, Field.
LIVERPOOL XI: Mignolet, Clyne, Lovren, Matip, Lucas, Milner, Can, Wijnaldum, Coutinho, Firmino, Origi.
LIVERPOOL SUBSTITUTES: Karius, Moreno, Grujic, Sturridge, Alexander-Arnold, Woodburn, Gomez
After their recent form, it comes as no surprise that Pulis makes some alterations to his team. Claudio Yacob, Chris Brunt and
Hal Robson-Kanu all return to the side, with Allan Nyom, James Morrison and
Salomon Rondon the players to drop out. The likes of Marc Wilson and James McClean also have to make do with a spot among the replacements.
As for Liverpool,
Jurgen Klopp has also opted to make three alterations to his team, with
Philippe Coutinho and
Roberto Firmino both making their return to the starting lineup after only being named on the bench against Stoke. Ben Woodburn and Trent Alexander-Arnold are the players to drop out, while Lucas Leiva is in for the injured Ragnar Klavan.
You are probably aware that this is not the only Premier League fixture taking place today. After the full-time whistle goes at The Hawthorns, attention will turn to Old Trafford where Manchester United host Chelsea. Much has been made of what the result could do for the title race, but it's fair to say that Liverpool will be hoping for a Chelsea win. As it stands, United sit six points adrift of Liverpool but they possess two games in hand. It means that the Merseyside giants need to avoid slipping up in order to preserve their current advantage.
HEAD TO HEAD! Today's fixture represents the 148th time in which these two teams have faced each other in a competitive match, with Liverpool winning 67 times in comparison to the 38 victories for West Brom. Liverpool head into this match having remained unbeaten in their last seven outings against West Brom, with three triumphs and four draws being recorded since February 2013.
The main talking point in the Baggies starting lineup is the inclusion of Robson-Kanu, who has had to play second fiddle to Rondon for much of the season. More recently, he has featured regularly but today is just his fifth Premier League start for the club. He has managed two goals and two assists in 594 minutes of football, so his contribution should probably be seen as better than it is perceived.
Another big summer signing for Pulis was Nacer Chadli. His statistics of five goals and five assists are misleading because two of each of those came in one match. He hasn't necessarily failed to live up to expectations but his head coach will definitely expect more from a player who has played in all but one of their league matches this season. He has scored just once since October and with the side struggling for goals in general, he needs to improve that part of his game.
It's a big plus for Liverpool that both Coutinho and Firmino are able to take their place in the team this afternoon, but Klopp will be calling on other players to step up in the absence of Adam Lallana and Sadio Mane.
Divock Origi will have to chip in here and there, but Georginio Wijnaldum is the man who needs to improve in away fixtures. He only has two assists on his record in 17 matches on the road since joining from Newcastle United and it is a side of his game which requires a better return.
Daniel Sturridge could still have a key part to play before the end of the season. He has played just 45 minutes of football in two-and-a-half months but it is important that he is available for the run-in. It is debatable whether he has a place in Klopp's thinking beyond this campaign but there is still time for him to sign off his Anfield career with a couple of goals which can help secure the club Champions League football. He is also due a goal, with his last effort coming on January 2.
PREDICTION! We are going to sit on the fence for this one. West Brom have been poor in the majority of their most recent fixtures and cannot buy a goal, but Liverpool have not kept a clean sheet for seven matches and don't always impress against mid-table teams. We are backing a 1-1 draw.
It's time for the two teams to make their way out at The Hawthorns. It's rather dull in the West Midlands this afternoon. Let's hope the football doesn't turn out that way!
Liverpool get us underway.
It has been a shaky start from Liverpool and they concede an early chance to the home side. Phillip's miscued volley went into the path of Robson-Kanu, but he could not get enough on the ball to divert it into the corner.
This has been a very slow start from Liverpool. They are offering nothing in the final third and are playing stray passes in their own half. Klopp won't be amused. The home side look solid both with and without possession.
We are still awaiting the first clear-cut opportunity in the West Midlands but West Brom look the better team in all departments. It looks as though Pulis has read them the riot act after defeats to both Watford and Southampton.
SHOT! More positive play from the Baggies leads to Phillips fashioning a chance on the right wing but after cutting onto his left foot, he curled his effort high over the crossbar.
CHANCE! A misplaced pass from Yacob gifts the ball straight to Coutinho and Liverpool find themselves in a three-on-two situation. The playmaker picks out his Brazilian compatriot but he can only fire his shot from 14 yards just wide of the far post.
Despite that opening, it's fair to say this match is not developing into the most entertaining of spectacles. Like we have already mentioned, West Brom look solid but they don't necessarily look like fashioning a chance for the likes of Chadli, Phillips and Robson-Kanu.
CHANCE! This should really be a goal. Phillips sends a lofted pass towards the back post where Chadli is waiting, but the slightest nicks off a defender sees Chadli mis-kick from inside the six-yard box.
CHANCE!Liverpool are starting to stamp their authority on this match now. Emre Can is looking industrious as ever in the middle of the park. West Brom are spending a lot of time without the ball so maybe it is starting to take its toll.
SHOT! We haven't seen a lot of Origi in this match but he has started to drop deeper in order to get onto the ball. I'm not sure that is going to help his team but it might ease his frustration. He has just tried a shot from all of 30 yards but it was easily saved by Foster.
CHANCE! This is so poor from Robson-Kanu. The control is fantastic as he chests a pass from Phillips into his path but his shot from 18 yards is abysmal and it rolls into the hands of Mignolet. It should be 1-0 to the home side.
I think that chance for the Baggies has got rid of any complacency in the Liverpool defence. They had been watching on as their teammates probed for an opener and it came as a surprise when they squandered that opening. Just five minutes to go until the break.
West Brom are content to watch Liverpool pass the ball between themselves in the middle of the park, and the visitors are happy to oblige. I don't think that we are going to see much more action in this first half.
BOOKING! Brunt goes into the referee's notebook for a cynical tug of Origi's shirt. Free kick to the visitors. There will be one minute of added-on time.
GOAL! West Bromwich Albion 0-1 Liverpool (Firmino)
HALF TIME: West Bromwich Albion 0-1 Liverpool
Talk about the perfect time to score. Milner's free kick is flicked on by Lucas and Firmino is there to head into the corner from eight yards after reacting faster than McAuley. That was the last action before the referee called time for the first half.
The two sides are making their way back out. It appears that both managers have stuck with the same lineups.
West Brom get us back underway.
Not much to report on at the start of this second half. West Brom won a free kick in a threatening position but it was well defended by the visitors.
BOOKING! This is pretty sneaky, and equally crude, by Robson-Kanu. He stamps on Coutinho's foot - not with a great deal of force, but enough - as he runs past the Liverpool player and the referee spots it.
We still await the first chance of this second half but Liverpool have set their stall out and are making it difficult for West Brom to get a look in. Given their struggles to keep a clean sheet, a 1-0 win would delight Klopp.
SHOT! A prolonged period of Liverpool possession ends with Origi trying to find the far corner with a curling effort but it is about three yards away from its target.
CHANCE! This should be 2-0. Firmino finds Milner all on his own at the back post but he sends his volley from close range high over the crossbar. He was under pressure from Foster but this should be a goal.
It's not an exaggeration to say that Liverpool are all over West Brom. They have the ball in the net when Firmino's headed pass is converted by Origi but the Brazilian was correctly ruled offside.
SUBSTITUTION! Pulis acts first by substituting Chadli with James Morrison.
SUBSTITUTIONS! Two more changes for West Brom. Pulis has seen enough. Robson-Kanu and Yacob make way for
Salomon Rondon and James McClean.
BOOKING! Evans becomes the third West Brom player to go into the book for a push on Coutinho.
It's starting to become very scrappy. The substitutions haven't helped the rhythm of this match but that only helps West Brom. They have been second best throughout this second half.
BOOKING! Liverpool now have a yellow card, with Lucas being cautioned for a foul on McClean.
I expected West Brom to make more of a go of this but maybe we should pay credit to Liverpool's defending. Both Lovren and Matip have been very good so far. Still no more opportunities to speak of for either side but that will probably change during the closing stages.
SHOT! Livermore is not known for his goals and I'm not entirely sure he was shooting here but his low effort/pass from 20 yards evaded everyone and went wide of the far post.
CHANCE! What a chance for West Brom. Rondon gets the better of Matip before playing the ball into the path of Phillips but despite the winger advancing behind the Liverpool defence, he put his shot too close to Mignolet who made an important block.
SUBSTITUTION! Klopp finally makes his first alteration with Daniel Sturridge being introduced for Origi.
West Brom have been second best in terms of possession all match but that isn't the case now. They aren't pressing Liverpool back into their own final third but they are certainly having more say in what pace the game is played at.
As the board goes up for four minutes of added-on time, West Brom win a corner.
SUBSTITUTION! Nothing comes from the set piece, and Klopp takes the time to make a second change with Alberto Moreno replacing Coutinho.
SHOT! Many accuse Sturridge of being greedy but we have just seen Moreno do much worse. Foster is stranded after coming up for a corner and Liverpool have three-on-one. However, instead of pass, Moreno shoots from 45 yards and misses!
FULL TIME: West Bromwich Albion 0-1 Liverpool
The full-time whistle goes at The Hawthorns and Liverpool have held on to claim all three points. It's a result which takes them back up to third place in the table and one which could prove crucial come the end of the season. West Brom's run without a win or goal continues, and Pulis has a big job on his hands to rally his side for the run-in.
That will be all from Sports Mole for this match. Thank you for joining us this afternoon and we hope that you can stick around for the match involving Manchester United and Chelsea. Goodbye for now.
