Match Report: Steven Gerrard fails from the spot for Liverpool on frustrating night against West Brom
Liverpool 0 West Bromwich Albion 2: Late goals stun Liverpool as Gerrard has penalty saved
Anfield
Tuesday 12 February 2013
Related articles
One point in six League matches, a third-round FA Cup exit, and then the whole sorry Peter Odemwingie saga. Since winning at Queen’s Park Rangers on Boxing Day, life has been pretty grim for West Bromwich Albion but last night that all changed. With Ben Foster showing the ability that made him an England goalkeeper and making a pivotal penalty save from Steven Gerrard after 77 minutes, Steve Clarke’s side went on to stage a smash-and grab raid as late goals from Gareth McAuley and Romelu Lukaku brought the visitors a first victory of the year.
This win had echoes of last season when Albion ended their 45-year wait to win at Anfield by riding their luck and then striking late. Their scorer that afternoon was the hero-turned-villain himself, Odemwingie, who travelled to Merseyside with the Albion squad but did not make the bench.
Without him, his team-mates showed an impressive togetherness and resolve as they ended Liverpool’s recent resurgence and got their own campaign back on track. For Clarke, returning to the club he left last summer after 18 months as assistant manager, it was a deeply satisfying conclusion. “For a change something went right,” he said. “It’s not been the best year so far.”
In truth, an Albion win looked unlikely for much of this fixture and had Gerrard converted his spot-kick, Liverpool would have probably been celebrating a fourth straight home success. Brendan Rodgers’ team may not have reached the performance levels shown in their recent encouraging draws at Arsenal and Manchester City but they still did enough to bring the very best out of Foster. The visitors’ keeper had already made one outstanding one-handed save from Gerrard in the second half when, on the pre-match advice of his coach Dean Kiely, he dived low to his left to turn away Liverpool’s captain’s penalty, after the midfielder had gone for precision rather than power.
Even Rodgers suggested it had been “a bit harsh” of referee Jon Moss to penalise Jonas Olsson when he jumped for a high ball and Luis Suarez crumpled beneath him in the box. Justice was done with the save and West Bromwich now had the momentum. “When he made that save from the penalty that should never have been given it gave us a bit of positive momentum and belief to go and win the game,” Clarke said. They duly did just that.
Pepe Reina had not made a save up to then but now Youssouf Mulumbu broke forward and unleashed a drive that the Liverpool goalkeeper tipped over. The reprieve was brief as from Chris Brunt’s corner, McAuley leapt high and powered a header in off the underside of the crossbar. Liverpool’s fate was sealed in the 90th minute when James Morrison broke forward and fed substitute Lukaku who held off Daniel Agger before driving past Reina.
The consequence of it all was Albion climbed a place above Liverpool into eighth. Had Liverpool won, they would have moved within three points of sixth-placed Everton but they have still to beat a top-10 team this season – a staggering statistic – and their hopes of a late push for the Champions League now look in tatters.
They certainly missed Daniel Sturridge, who was unable to continue his eye-catching start to life in a red shirt owing to a thigh injury. In his place stepped Jonjo Shelvey, who had an early effort flagged offside in an otherwise subdued start. Anfield felt flat and although Agger went close with a free header from a corner and then failed to connect with Stewart Downing’s driven cross when unmarked in front of goal, the closest we got to a first-half goal was actually when Steven Reid took a careless swipe at a Shelvey cross inside the six-yard box. He was a relieved man when, having kicked the ball against his standing leg, it looped just over the crossbar.
Albion were well-organised in defence and competed manfully in midfield where Clarke was delighted to welcome back Mulumbu for his first appearance since returning from Africa Cup of Nations duty with DR Congo. Mulumbu’s partnership with Claudio Yacob was pivotal to their impressive autumn efforts and Clarke noted: “It is the first time in a number of weeks I have had the luxury to be able to pick Youssouf, Claudio and James [Morrison] in the same midfield.”
All the same, Foster emerged as their hero as Liverpool stepped up a gear in the second half. In the 49th minute he foiled Gerrard at close range after McAuley had blocked a Downing shot, and moments later was equal to a Jordan Henderson backheel. A full-length block then stopped substitute Fabio Borini’s shot before he produced the save of the night, raising his right hand to beat away Gerrard’s powerful drive before Borini turned the rebound wide.
“It was just one of those games where we needed the first goal,” said Rodgers. “We weren’t at our best but we were on the front foot and looking to create.
“Ben Foster has made some brilliant saves that have kept them in the game,” the Liverpool manager added.
On this form it must be a matter of regret for England that Foster retired from international football in 2011. He rejected Roy Hodgson’s attempts to entice him back into the England set-up last May and Clarke said: “There is absolutely no reason he cannot play international football apart from the most important one – he doesn’t want to.”
Latest in Sport
Sport blogs
On The Road at the Giro d’Italia: It sounds sadistic, but the team live for the mountain stages
Three weeks ago as I drove off the Eurostar, I remember thinking what a very long time it was until ...
by Martin Ayres
23 May 2013 05:29 PM
iBet: Rose has the ammunition for Wentworth
McDowell did brilliantly to land the World Match Play title in Bulgaria last week, but it’s a format...
by Gareth Purnell
23 May 2013 09:13 AM
Brits on fire in the wet at Le Mans!
Wow - what a weekend for British Motorcycle racing!
by Luke Wilkins
22 May 2013 05:00 AM
-
Roy Hodgson shuts the England door on Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry
-
On-loan goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois still believes in Chelsea youth policy
-
After racist remark, Sergio Garcia fights for reputation as Tiger Woods slams 'hurtful' fried chicken joke
-
Manuel Pellegrini must decide on futures of Carlos Tevez, Gareth Barry and Joleon Lescott as Manchester City name starting date for new manager
-
Liverpool striker Andy Carroll delays over West Ham move
- 1 Breaking: Soldier killed in Woolwich machete attack named as Drummer Lee Rigby
- 2 'Sickening, deluded and unforgivable': Horrific attack brings terror to London’s streets
- 3 Grace Dent: I’m not sure how these people can avoid being called ‘bigots’. And the more ‘civilised’, the worse they are
- 4 Woolwich murder: They killed, then they performed - these men should be starved of our attention
- 5 Woolwich attack: The EDL will seek to exploit this evil crime for their own evil ends
Get your summer started with British Military Fitness
BMF is the UK’s biggest and best loved outdoor fitness classes
Visit York
Find out what The Independent's resident travel expert has to say about one of the most beautiful small cities in the world
Making reading fun for kids
Nook is donating eReaders to volunteers at high-need schools and participating in exclusive events throughout the campaign.
Introducing the 'Get Reading' campaign
Get the latest on The Evening Standard's campaign to get London's children reading.
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
Day In a Page
Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them
Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness
Not secure any more: G4S boss heads for exit at last
How to say ‘I’m a sellout’



Comments