MATCH PREVIEW BY: Martyn Todd

Albion end 2005 with a tough trip to Anfield and both teams will be hoping to end the year on a high note.

The European Champions will want to end their hugely successful year with a win against Bryan Robson’s men and hopes will be high that they will pick up all three points.

Albion, who have this time successfully avoided the dreaded “Bottom At Christmas” position will be aiming to continue from where they left off against Spurs on Wednesday night.

Liverpool have a good all-round solid team. Jamie Carragher is solid at the back and has had a fantastic couple of seasons. Steven Gerrard is the anchor man of a midfield that is packed with good players, whilst front-men Djibril Cisse and Peter Crouch are both in fine form at the moment.

Albion do have a number of selection worries with Junichi Inamoto, Zoltan Gera and Wednesday’s starman Kanu all facing late fitness tests. Bryan Robson will be boosted though by the return of influential defender Paul Robinson who has recovered from the concussion suffered at Old Trafford on Boxing Day.

This week, albiontillwedie.co.uk founder Mark Thomas predicts a 2-0 victory to Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool.

COME ON YOU BAGGIES!!!

ALBION

Baggies' boss Bryan Robson could be without four players for the trip to Anfield. Thomas Gaardsoe is ruled out due to the hamstring injury he picked up at Old Trafford whilst Kanu, Zoltan Gera and Junichi Inamoto all face late fitness tests. Paul Robinson will return though after missing Wednesday's game against Spurs with concussion.

Possible Line-up: Kuszczak, Watson, Davies, Clement, Robinson, Greening, Wallwork, Chaplow, Carter, Kamara, Ellington.

LIVERPOOL

The Reds will be without striker Fernando Morientes after the Spanish star damaged his knee-ligaments in the midweek game against Everton. Rafa Benetiz will otherwise have a fully fit squad to choose from.

Possible Line-up: Reina, Warnock, Carragher, Hyypia, Finnan, Kewell, Alonso, Sissoko, Gerrard, Cisse, Crouch.

THIS SEASON

Liverpool currently lie in 3rd place in the Barclays Premiership with 37 points from 17 games. Steven Gerrard is the club's leading scorer with 13 league and cup goals. The Reds have won their last nine league games, their last match seeing them beat arch-rivals Everton 3-1 at Goodison Park. Rafael Benitez's men are through to the last 16 of the Champions League but were knocked out of the Carling Cup by Crystal Palace in the third round. They were also runners-up in the World Club Championship, beaten 1-0 by Sao Paulo.

LAST SEASON

The Reds finished 5th in the Barclays Premiership with 58 points. They finished as champions of Europe after beating AC Milan on penalties in the Champions League final. Domestically they were beaten in the FA Cup third round by Burnley and were beaten in the Carling Cup final by Chelsea. Milan Baros, Luis Garcia and Steven Gerrard all finished the season with 13 league and cup goals.

ONES TO WATCH

Steven Gerrard - On his day, the best midfielder in England and probably Europe. Can pass, tackle and score goals. A true leader on the pitch, many feel he should be England captain.

Peter Crouch - Struggled for form and goals at Anfield until recently. Always a threat in the air but surprisingly good with his feet too.

Xabi Alonso - Very skilful midfielder with an excellent passing ability.

LAST LEAGUE MEETING AT ANFIELD

Liverpool 3-0 Albion
Saturday 11th September 2004
Barclays Premiership
Kick-off 3:00pm

Goalscorers: Gerrard 16, Finnan 42, Luis Garcia 60

Referee: Steve Dunn (Gloucestershire)
Assistant Referees: Gary Brittain (South Yorkshire), Glenn Turner (Derbyshire)
Fourth Official: Richard Beeby (Northamptonshire)

Sky Sports Match Report:

Liverpool produced a fine display to dispose of West Brom in a comfortable 3-0 victory. Rafa Benitez's Reds created a lot more chances, and played with a lot more confidence, than in their recent defeat to Graz and Bolton. Steve Gerrard was back to his driving best and he gave them the lead at Anfield following a neat passing move after 18 minutes. Steve Finnan grabbed his first league goal for Liverpool with another good strike and Luis Garcia sealed the points on the hour when he finally converted one of the many chances he had on the day.

Liverpool took no time at all to settle and were straight into their stride from the kick-off as they forced West Brom to defend early on. Luis Garcia had a great chance to test Russell Hoult when he was set up by Harry Kewell on the left of the box but he tried a first time cross which failed to find Djibril Cisse. The hosts duly took the lead after 18 minutes and again it was their skipper Gerrard who provided the spark. The Reds played some neat football between Finnan, Gerrard and Garcia, with the captain ending up storming inside the box before striking a low left-footed shot that found the bottom corner of Hoult's net. Liverpool did not sit back after scoring and could have doubled their lead when Neil Clement headed a corner towards his own goal, but for Jonathan Greening to head the ball off the line. From the resulting corner, Sami Hyypia got his head to the ball but his powerful nod went straight at Hoult. Rafa Benitez's men should have doubled their advantage through Luis Garcia, who found himself unmarked from a Gerrard cross from the left, but he skewed his header badly wide. The second did come three minutes before the break when John Arne Riise's glorious raking ball found Finnan on the right, and he controlled the ball well under pressure from Clement. The Irishmen then cut inside the right hand edge of the box before smashing a low shot inside Hoult's near post for a superb second goal for Liverpool. Jezry Dudek first real test came in stoppage time at the end of the half when Clement unleashed a fearsome strike from all of 40 yards that the Polish keeper had to palm away.

Benitez obviously told his side to keep on pressing in the second half as they showed no signs of sitting on their lead, despite spirited resistance from West Brom. Robert Earnshaw got his first taste of the Premiership when he replaced the ineffective Geoff Horsfield, but the Welshman struggled to get a telling touch. Luis Garcia wasted a glorious chance to wrap up the points when he failed to set up Gerrard, who was screaming for the ball, and the Spaniard had an icy glare from his captain after blazing his shot widely over. Riccardo Scimeca went close from a corner but his header was well saved by Dudek, as The Baggies refused to lay down. However, the game was put to bed on the hour mark as Luis Garcia finally grabbed a goal after missing a number of chances. Gerrard sent the former Barcelona man away down the left and, with no-one in the box, he rattled a fierce left-foot shot straight at Hoult. The West Brom keeper could not hold the stinging effort and Garcia fired in the rebound right-footed under Hoult's body to grab his first goal for Liverpool. Djibril Cisse had a late chance to grab his first Anfield goal snuffed out by Hoult but Liverpool were cruising in the end and were well worth their 3-0 win.

CURRENT CONNECTIONS

Goalkeeper Chris Kirkland is currently on a season long loan at The Hawthorns from Liverpool.

PAST CONNECTIONS

ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS LIVERPOOL

LAST TEN MATCHES AGAINST LIVERPOOL