WEST BROMWICH ALBION v LIVERPOOL
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 25th April 2015, 3:00pm
The Hawthorns

MATCH NOTES

The game will be the 144th league and cup meeting between Albion and Liverpool. The Reds currently lead the way with 66 wins to the Baggies' 38.

The two clubs have met twice previously on April 25 - 1964 when John Kaye and Clive Clark scored the Albion goals in a 2-2 draw at The Hawthorns and in 1896 when Liverpool beat the Baggies 2-0 in a Test Match played at Anfield.

Albion's last game on this date came in 2009 when goals from Olsson, Brunt and Menseguez gave Albion a 3-0 Premier League win over Sunderland at The Hawthorns.

Liverpool's last match on April 25 came in 2010 when the Reds ran out easy 4-0 winners against Burnley at Turf Moor.

Albion boss Tony Pulis has never lost a Premier League home game against Liverpool (W3, D3).

If he features in the game, Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard will be making his 500th Premier League appearance.

The Hawthorns has seen 11 goals scored in the opening 15 minutes of matches this season - more than at any other Premier League ground.

Albion's last six games: Crystal Palace (A) 2-0; Leicester City (H) 2-3; Queens Park Rangers (H) 1-4; Manchester City (A) 0-3; Stoke City (H) 1-0; Aston Villa (A, FAC) 0-2.

Liverpool's last six games: Aston Villa (N, FAC) 1-2; Newcastle United (H) 2-0; Blackburn Rovers (A, FAC) 1-0; Arsenal (A) 1-4; Manchester United (H) 1-2; Swansea City (A) 1-0.

TEAM NEWS

Albion

Baggies' boss Tony Pulis will be without midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu who serves the third and final game of his suspension.

On-loan defender Andre Wisdom will also miss out due to rules preventing him from facing his parent club.

Liverpool

The trio of Daniel Sturridge, Mamadou Sakho and Lucas Leiva remain unavailable because of injuries whilst Adam Lallana and Jon Flanagan will both face late fitness tests.

Jordon Ibe does return though after being cup-tied last weekend.

MATCH ODDS

Result

Albion Win: 3/1, Liverpool Win: EVS, Draw: 11/5.

First Goalscorer

Albion: Berahino 13/2, Ideye 15/2, Nichebe 15/2, Sessegnon 9/1, McManaman 10/1, Gardner 12/1, Morrison 12/1, Brunt 20/1, Dawson 25/1, Fletcher 25/1, McAuley 28/1, Lescott 28/1.

Liverpool: Sturridge 4/1, Balotelli 5/1, Sterling 6/1, Lambert 6/1, Lallana 7/1, Coutinho 7/1, Borini 15/2, Ibe 8/1, Henderson 9/1, Markovic 9/1, Gerrard 9/1, Skrtel 20/1, Moreno 25/1, Can 25/1, Johnson 25/1, Allen 25/1, Lucas 33/1.

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REFEREE

Roger East (Wiltshire)

East has officiated two Albion games so far this season - the 2-0 defeat at Stoke City in December and the 0-0 draw at Southampton in August.

The Wiltshire official has also taken charge of two Liverpool games during 2014/15 - last month's 1-0 win at Swansea City and the 2-1 FA Cup win at Bolton Wanderers in February.

East has issued 96 yellow cards and four red in the 28 games he has officiated so far this season.

A full run-down of East's history refereeing the Baggies can be found here

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets are on sale to season ticket holders, members and supporters with a booking history on the ticketing database. They are priced at £39 adults, £29 seniors (Over-60s), £25 students/Under-21s and £15 Under-17s.

WEATHER FORECAST

Light cloud, 15°C.

FIXTURE HISTORY

LAST MEETING AT THE HAWTHORNS

Albion 1-1 Liverpool
Barclays Premier League
Sunday 2nd February 2014, 1:30pm

Albion: Foster; Jones, McAuley, Olsson (Lugano 41), Ridgewell; Yacob, Mulumbu; Gera; Berahino (Anichebe 64), Vydra (Dorrans 76), Brunt (c). Subs not used: Myhill (gk), Reid, Sinclair, Amalfitano.

Goalscorer: Anichebe 67

Booked: Yacob (persistent fouling 15), Ridgewell (foul 63), Mulumbu (foul 82), Lugano (foul 86)

Liverpool: Mignolet; Flanagan (Kelly 74), Skrtel, Toure, Cissokho; Gerrard (c); Sterling, Henderson, Coutinho (Allen 74); Suarez, Sturridge. Subs not used: Brad Jones (gk), Kelly, Ibes, Alberto, Aspas, Moses.

Goalscorer: Sturridge 24

Booked: Suarez (foul 74), Gerrard (foul 81)

Attendance: 26,132

Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)

A horrendous error by defender Kolo Toure gave Liverpool's top-four rivals renewed hope after they were held to a 1-1 draw at West Brom. Daniel Sturridge's 50th career league goal - and his 24th in 30 games for the club - put the visitors on course to retain their four-point cushion over Everton in the Barclays Premier League. However, Toure's misplaced pass straight into the path of former Toffees striker Victor Anichebe midway through the second half put paid to that. A draw gave more ammunition to the critics who felt Liverpool should have strengthened in the transfer window to enhance their bid to regain Champions League football. But it was not the absence of Ukrainian winger Yehven Konoplyanka, whose proposed move to Anfield broke down in final hours of the January transfer window, which ultimately cost them points but a lack of resources at the back. Toure is only playing because Daniel Agger and Mamadou Sakho are injured, but manager Brendan Rodgers insisted defensive reinforcements were not his priority. Some would argue neither was a winger, but for all the accusations and apportioning of blame fired from east to west and back again over the collapse of the Konoplyanka deal, it should not matter if the strikers keep scoring and the defence keep clean sheets. Despite Dnipro suggesting Liverpool did not transfer the necessary funds in time, Press Association Sport understands the money was sent at least two hours before the UK's 11pm deadline. The move, with the player's medical passed and terms agreed, was blocked by the club's owner Ihor Kolomoyskyi who refused to sign off the necessary paperwork, which is believed to have prompted a subsequent apology to Liverpool from Dnipro officials.

Essentially what Liverpool really need is to keep Luis Suarez and Sturridge fit and firing, and while at least one of them kept up that end of the bargain there were failings elsewhere at the Hawthorns. A disjointed first half was lit up by the beacon of quality which was Sturridge's goal. During the midweek Merseyside derby victory Suarez and Sturridge were falling out over who should pass to whom but there was no such disagreement here, with the in-form strikers were on the same wavelength. The continually-improving Raheem Sterling was released through the inside-right channel and held the ball up long enough for Suarez to go round the outside of him to receive the pass. Suarez's movement to generate space for the cross was brilliant and he picked out Sturridge at the far post for the England international to convert. He has now scored in 15 of 19 games this season - but even he paused before celebrating as he was not entirely sure whether he was onside. There was little else in the way of chances with Suarez failing to properly plant his head on a Philippe Coutinho corner and then being denied the decisive touch on Aly Cissokho's cross by Jonas Olsson, who injured himself in the process and was replaced by Diego Lugano. West Brom's first-half efforts amounted to Youssouf Mulumbu's drive, blocked by Steven Gerrard although it appeared to be going wide, and Zoltan Gera's shot which fizzed across goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and wide of the far post.

The home side came out with greater intent after the break and a period of early pressure resulted in Mignolet saving well from Gareth McAuley's powerful header. It seemed apparent 1-0 would not be enough for Liverpool to hang on to and Suarez should have made it more comfortable when he brought down Toure's long ball, sidestepped compatriot Lugano, cut back inside but was denied by the outstretched leg of goalkeeper Ben Foster. Mignolet made another good save, this time from Chris Brunt's low free-kick on the edge of the penalty area, but was helpless to prevent the equaliser. Rodgers wants his side to play out from the back but Toure, unlike Agger, is not comfortable on the ball and inexplicably passed straight to Anichebe 20 yards out and the former Everton striker made the Ivory Coast defender pay dearly for his mistake. Liverpool's switch to three at the back following the introduction of Martin Kelly and Joe Allen saw Sturridge denied by a charging Foster with Toure heading over Gerrard's resulting corner. It was to prove the last real chance as Liverpool did not carve out enough openings for their potent strikeforce to benefit.

Sporting Life

CURRENT CONNECTIONS

Baggies' defender Andre Wisdom is currently on a season-long loan from the Reds.

Liverpool youngster Jerome Sinclair started his playing career in Albion's academy before leaving to join the Reds in 2011.

PAST CONNECTIONS

Amongst the players to have turned out at various levels for both clubs are: Nicolas Anelka, Freddie Buck, David Burrows, Scott Carson, John Chadburn, Harry Chambers, John Durnin, Bruce Grobbelaar, John Glover, Andrew Hannah, Charlie Hewitt, Tony Kelly, Chris Kirkland, Steve Nicol and David Speedie.

ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS LIVERPOOL