LIVERPOOL v WEST BROMWICH ALBION
Barclays Premier League
Sunday 29th August 2010, 3:00pm
Anfield

Albion

In goal Scott Carson should return to face his former club after being rested for the Carling Cup trip to Leyton Orient. Boaz Myhill will drop to the bench to provide back-up.

Roberto Di Matteo looks likely to revert to the defensive line-up used against Sunderland with the exception of the injured Marek Cech, meaning that Gonzala Jara, Jonas Olsson and Gabriel Tamas will return in place of Gianni Zuiverloon, Leon Barnett and Pablo Ibáñez, all of whom figured at Brisbane Road. Recent signing Nicky Shorey will replace Cech at left-back. Abdoulaye Meite and Joe Mattock are missing from the squad due to injury whilst Barnett has moved to Norwich City on loan.

In midfield the Baggies' boss will be without winger Jerome Thomas who picked up an ankle injury last weekend. His place could go to Giles Barnes although Di Matteo may choose to switch last week's match winner Peter Odemwingie out wide allowing new signing Marc-Antoine Fortune to start up front. The rest of the midfield will be made up with four from Graham Dorrans, Chris Brunt, Youssouf Mulumbu, James Morrison and Steven Reid. It's doubtful that Cameroon international Somen Tchoyi, will figure with him not yet being considered ready for action.

Roman Bednar and Simon Cox will provide striking back-up with Ishmael Miller still out through injury.

Albion (from): Carson, Olsson, Ibanez, Morrison, Barnes, Bednar, Brunt, S Reid, Myhill, Fortune, Wood, Moore, Dorrans, Shorey, Mulumbu, Zuiverloon, Odemwingie, Tamas, Cox, Jara.

Liverpool

Having been rested for Thursday’s game against Trabzonspor, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard are both expected to return to Liverpool’s starting line-up at Anfield. Daniel Agger may also return following his concussion.

Joe Cole will definitely miss the game as he serves the second game of his three-match suspension following his red card against Arsenal two weeks ago.

Javier Mascherano will not be considered with his protracted move to Barcelona edging closer.

Liverpool (from): Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Aurelio, Kuyt, Lucas, Gerrard, Jovanovic, Ngog, Torres, Pacheco, Krygiakos, Agger, Babel, Spearing, Poulsen, Shelvey, Kelly, Jones.

Albion manager Roberto Di Matteo:

Baggies' captain Scott Carson:

wba.co.uk

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson:

"Newcomers always pose a great threat, in particular West Brom, they're a footballing team with a lot of players who can score goals. They're an offensive side and did very well last weekend to win (against Sunderland).

"We are aware how important the game is for us having only taken one point from our first two fixtures, so I am hoping our performance will be good enough to overcome them however good they happen to be.

"I don't think they'll be very frenetic in their approach. I think they'll play their football and use the fact we'll be taking the game to them and trying to impose ourselves on them to try and hit us on the counter attack.

"They've got lots of players who are good at that, so that's the type of approach I'd expect. But it is up to us to make sure we not only impose our game on them, we also make certain we dominate proceedings from the start."

liverpoolfc.tv

Result

Albion Win: 12/1, Liverpool Win: 2/9, Draw: 5/1.

First Goalscorer

Torres 5/2, Gerrard 7/2, Ngog 4/1, Kuyt 9/2, Babel 5/1, Jovanovic 6/1, Pacheco 6/1, Eccleston 7/1, Rodriguez 10/1, Odemwingie 11/1, Shelvey 12/1, Bednar 12/1, Fortune 12/1, Cox 14/1, Dorrans 14/1.

TICKET INFORMATION

All-ticket game with none available on matchday.

WEATHER FORECAST

Early cloud clearing to leave sunny spells. 16°C.

FIXTURE HISTORY

Liverpool 3-0 Albion
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 8 November 2008, 5:30pm

Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Agger, Carragher, Aurelio, Benayoun, Mascherano, Gerrard (Alonso 80), Riera (Babel 65), Keane (Torres 72), Kuyt. Subs not used: Cavalieri (gk), Hyypia, Insua, El Zhar.

Goalscorers: Keane 34, 43, Arbeloa 93.

Albion: Carson, Zuiverloon, Olsson, Donk, Robinson, Koren, Valero, Greening, Kim (Teixeira 56), Bednar (Moore 56), Miller (Brunt 71). Subs not used: Kiely (gk), Hoefkens, Dorrans, Pele.

Attendance: 43,451

Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire)

Robbie Keane gave Rafael Benitez his 150th victory as Liverpool boss as the Anfield club moved back to the top of the Barclays Premier League. Keane, who had managed to score only twice previously since his summer move from Tottenham - both in the Champions League - finally broke his league duck when he drove home from a Steven Gerrard pass in the 34th minute. Keane's second came when he rounded Scott Carson a couple of minutes before the break and Alvaro Arbeloa added the gloss in injury time.

Liverpool have now beaten West Brom in their last 10 meetings and wiped away the memory of losing their unbeaten record at Spurs last weekend.

Fernando Torres made his return after a six-game absence with a hamstring injury, but initially only as far as the bench. Benitez rested midfielder Xabi Alonso and brought in Yossi Benayoun as the only change from the side that drew with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday. West Brom were without James Morrison from the side that drew with Blackburn last time out, Do-heon Kim coming into the team.

West Brom, who have not won at Anfield in 41 years, set out with a positive approach by opting for two strikers, Roman Bednar and Ishmael Miller. They initially moved forward with confidence, but Liverpool had space down both flanks to exploit and slowly started to pull West Brom's defence apart. Former Liverpool keeper Carson saved well from Gerrard and Keane, but although Albion were still abrasive up front, a home breakthrough was only a matter of time. Daniel Agger's tackle halted Borja Valero in the act of shooting, before Jonas Olsson was booked for a foul on Dirk Kuyt after 18 minutes. At this point West Brom were standing up well to Liverpool's quick passing moves, which frequently broke down around Keane, whose anticipation of balls into space was at times poor. But Liverpool came close when Gerrard sent in Benayoun on the right. Carson did well to save the winger's shot, but the ball bounced up and onto the arm of Olsson before bouncing away for a corner. Referee Peter Walton ignored pleas for a penalty. Four minutes later Liverpool did take the lead. This time Keane read Gerrard's run and pass into space to perfection and motored onto it to lift his shot over the diving Carson. And it was Keane who grabbed another to silence the West Brom fans who had been abusing him because of his association with Wolves many years back. His second came two minutes from the break when he latched onto a fine through ball from Fabio Aurelio after Liverpool had broken with devastating speed as they cleared an Albion corner. Keane was in yards of space to round the on-rushing Carson before firing an angled drive into an empty net.

Such a situation would have deflated many sides, but Albion came forward with purpose and spirit in the second period. Robert Koren saw a long-range shot held by Jose Reina and another drive go wide before Albion opted for two substitutions after 56 minutes. Luke Moore and Filipe Teixeira came on for Bednar and Do-heon Kim. Keane got away from Ryan Donk in the box after 60 minutes, but Carson was out quickly to take the ball off the Irishman's toes. Liverpool sent on Ryan Babel for Albert Riera after 66 minutes, the home side having been too quick to start coasting to victory and West Brom still showing spirit. Torres' arrival finally came after 71 minutes, in place of the disappointed Keane, who had been striving for a hat-trick. Torres' was soon into the action, taking a Benayoun pass. A quick change of pace and a fierce low shot, saved by Carson, followed and the Spaniard was back in his stride. Liverpool had to wait until the final minute for their third, when full-back Arbeloa cut in from the right to fire into the top corner.

Sporting Life

After signing for Liverpool from Leeds in January 2005, Baggies' keeper Scott Carson made nine appearances for the Reds in the following three and a half years.

ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS LIVERPOOL