Liverpool 1 - West Bromwich Albion 0

Dave Watkin:

BAGGIES AWAY TO LIVERPOOL

At the end of the 1966-67 season Albion won eight and drew one of their last ten games and that run included, on Saturday 22nd April, a 1-0 win at Anfield, in front of 39,883 fans. The goalscorer was Jeff Astle, the team: Osborne, Fraser, Williams, Talbut, Colquhoun, Collard, Lovett, Astle, Kaye, Brown, Clark. Since that inspiring result, before this weekend, we?d made twenty league trips to Anfield without a win, picking up just four points. The most recent draw was in 1984/85 and a season later Garth Crooks scored our last league goal at the ground. In the Premier League we?d met four times, lost all four and conceded nine. However...

MATCH REPORT

On Sunday Albion gave their best performance against Liverpool at Anfield for decades, but despite outplaying the Reds for much of the first half and battling determinedly in the second period, they lost to a breakaway goal just after the hour.

There were two changes to the starting line-up. Nicky Shorey made his full league debut for the injured Marek Cech and with Jerome Thomas ruled out, Odemwingie was switched to the right wing with Marc-Antoine Fortun? taking his place up front.

The first half began and ended with low shots from James Morrison aimed for opposite corners of the Liverpool net, both finishing the wrong side of the post. In between, the Baggies controlled much of the play with Youssouf Mulumbu particularly prominent in central midfield. When Liverpool did gain possession they were harried all over the pitch and forced into making mistakes. The only significant threat to Albion?s goal came when Torres whipped in a free kick from wide left and Gabriel Tamas rose to send glancing header out for a corner. The Baggies won more than their fair share of flag kicks but failed to capitalise. The best opportunity came when Marc-Antoine Fortun? exchanged passes with Jonas Olsson, but his low on-target drive didn?t have the power to trouble Reina. The visitors left the field at half time to a standing ovation from the travelling fans, but in the back of our minds was the troubling thought that we?d not got the lead that our play deserved.

After the break, Albion continued to press and a Graham Dorrans curler from the left was just over the opposite top corner. However, Liverpool were now much improved, forcing Albion to play their football the wrong side of the halfway line and the defence, led by Jonas Olsson, to hit top form to keep them out. On the hour mark the Reds came the closest yet, when a Gerrard corner was flicked into the danger area and it took a combination of Carson and the defenders to clear as far as Skrtel, who flashed a volley just over. The match was effectively decided in the 65th minute. A quick break from Albion, started by Mulumbu and continued with Odemwingie, reached Fortun?, who pulled the ball back from the touchline to Gonzalo Jara. His drive was blocked by Aggar and amid appeals for a penalty a follow-up shot was saved by Reina. The quick thinking keeper threw the ball out to Kuyt, who was already in the Albion half, he exchanged passes with Torres, then fed it back inside to the Spaniard, who fired hard and low just inside the left hand post. It was a body blow to players and supporters alike. To their credit both recovered and Scott Carson kept the Baggies in the game when he saved at point-blank range from Torres after Gerrard had picked him out on the edge of the six yard box. Somen Tchoyi came on to make his first appearance in a Baggies shirt and was involved in controversy when he was the victim of a blatant shirt pull in full view of the referee, who turned the traditional Anfield blind eye to visiting penalty appeals. Only in these latter stages were Liverpool making chances and Gonzalo Jara did well to block a Torres shot. With four minutes to go Morrison lost possession on the sideline in front of the home support. He mistimed a tackle on Torres and under pressure from the crowd the referee showed him a red card. At the final whistle the team were given another tremendous ovation by the supporters, who had out-sung the Liverpool ?tourists? throughout the match.

This impressive Albion performance deserved better reward. Jonas Olsson gave a towering display in defence and Youssouf Mulumbu was chief ball winner and distributor in midfield. Gonzalo Jara was not far behind this pair and neither was Nicky Shorey. In the first half everyone seemed to be at the top of their game. Roberto Di Matteo succeeded in getting the team playing football and working for each other. Only one suggestion, I would prefer to see Peter Odemwingie playing down the middle and Fortun? wide, but perhaps that will come.

I watched MOD2 and that was strange. The action was edited to show only the best of Liverpool, yet the experts in the studio who?d watched the whole game, raved about how well we?d played and illustrated the home side?s failings! The referee over-reacted to the Morrison tackle and we may well succeed if we appeal. If that was a red card, how many should have been shown at Molineux, where Joey Barton was physically assaulted seven times by various Wolves players?

So still no Anfield goal, still no win, not even a draw; but at least our pride is intact.

ALBION FORMRATE: VERY GOOD

MEN-OF-THE-MATCH: JONAS OLSSON / YOUSSOUF MULUMBU

Gareth:

we were brilliant today, watched the whole game - never loooked 2nd best anywhere today. ref bottled 2 rugby tackles in box we could have had pens given.

morrison unlucky to be sent off

if we play like that we will be more than safe. for most of the game i felt we would win it. ao so proud of every single 1 of em today.

Dion:

The fact that after going to goal down we bought on another attacker says it all.

Mulumbu and Olsson fighting it out for MOMN - great performance.