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Liverpool vs West Brom match report: Divock Origi rescues point for Jurgen Klopp's side

Liverpool 2 West Brom 2: Jordan Henderson had opened the scoring before West Brom went ahead through Craig Dawson and Jonas Olsson

Simon Hughes
Anfield
Sunday 13 December 2015 19:26 GMT
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Jurgen Klopp leads his Liverpool side in acknowledging the fans after his side's 2-2 draw with West Brom
Jurgen Klopp leads his Liverpool side in acknowledging the fans after his side's 2-2 draw with West Brom

It was in the sixth minute of injury time when the earth began to shake, causing the mood to swing diametrically to the opposite of what it was before.

Divock Origi’s equaliser had taken an enormous deflection off Gareth McAuley, and knowing he was beaten, West Bromwich Albion’s goalkeeper Boaz Myhill fell to his knees in acceptance. It was as though he’d been speared through the throat.

Previously, Anfield had been a torment filled forum; a place consumed by doubt and self-reproach. Suddenly, it was trembling to its foundations - not entirely due to the point gained but because of Jürgen Klopp’s reaction.

The German lost control of his senses, firstly moving towards visiting manager Tony Pulis, bellowing something at him. An argument had begun between the pair 20 minutes earlier when Martin Skrtel was barged into the Main Stand by Salomon Rondón, although Pulis later claimed Skrtel had been the aggressor.

Klopp turned and let out an almighty roar, which could be heard from the press box above the din of the celebrations elsewhere around the ground. In thrashing his arms about furiously, Klopp must have felt like like a conductor of the world’s most prominent orchestra on its very last night. Klopp wanted more than a draw, urging Liverpool forward, hoping that Anfield followed him into war.

Jordan Henderson celebrates giving Liverpool the lead against West Brom

Yet time had run out and at the final whistle he embraced with his battered players, who saluted the Kop by holding hands and advancing on the famous stand.

There surely cannot be a more dramatic way to finish a 2-2 draw at home to the 13th best team in the Premier League.

Klopp described the end as though he were a religious pastor at the scene of an awakening. He had calmed by then. But he was still a bit carried away.

“I know it's only one point but it felt like three,” he said. “This moment was an explosion, it's the best I've felt since I've been here.

“Sometimes a point deserved in the right way is more important: for development, the style of play against a team like this. To stay in the game, that is a big moment in football. I really enjoyed this game, I enjoyed the atmosphere with my whole body.”

Craig Dawson brings West Brom level

Both managers were determined to downplay their squabble. If anything, Pulis seemed to relish it.

“He was animated but I’ve been animated all my life on the bench,” Pulis reasoned when speaking about Klopp. “I have no problems with that. We have come here, tried to be resilient. I don’t think there was a booking during the game.”

Pulis was correct about the latter point. Yet somehow, Craig Gardner was not dismissed for a tackle on Dejan Lovren, which forced the Croatian defender to leave the pitch on a stretcher, with his leg in a brace and needing oxygen. Klopp confirmed that Lovren needed stitches on his knee and will now undergo a scan.

Jonas Olsson heads West Brom into the lead against Liverpool

Concealed amidst the drama was a bare reality: Liverpool are not yet an unstoppable force and presently, this is what happens when they come across an immovable object.

West Brom were as unforgiving as a Barbarian horde: their defence so powerful and robotic, a team of droids might as well have been at work. Clearances were regularly so high, they must have been close to interfering with air traffic control at John Lennon Airport.

Like the second half, the first had finished mired in controversy, with the visiting team believing they had taken a lead only for it to by correctly swiped away from them, albeit through a confusing decision making process which made their fury understandable.

Jonas Olsson and two teammates were offside when Gardner’s free-kick was delivered into the zone of uncertainty between Liverpool’s goalkeeper and defence. Olsson volleyed it past Mignolet and celebrated by kung-fu kicking the corner flag next to the Kop and Centenary Stand, but only after examining referee Craig Pawson’s reaction to check he wasn’t being daft in doing so.

West Brom’s players had just about finished high-fiving each other when Pawson decided to speak to his assistant, Richard West who had not raised his flag. After 20 seconds or so consultation, Pawson awarded a free kick for Liverpool, causing Pulis to go mad on the touchline, nearly knocking his cap off when remonstrating with the fourth official.

Previously, Liverpool had needed to start quickly and unsettle their opponent, not allowing them to establish a defensive rhythm and to a reasonable extent they did, deservedly taking the lead through a route that would appear if Pulis ever decided to publish a handbook on tactics. There was a cross, a knock-down header and a sweeping finish, with Emre Can, Adam Lallana and then Jordan Henderson completing the sequence, this in Henderson’s first Premier League start since August.

Klopp’s pre-match briefing that Liverpool must be alert to West Brom’s threat at set-pieces did not get through. Craig Dawson’s equaliser arrived after more horrendous handling from Simon Mignolet. Olsson later headed in another Chris Brunt corner.

That Klopp tried to protect his goalkeeper by taking responsibility for the mistake is significant. Mignolet is expected to sign an new contract in the next few days.

“I said to Simon at half time, if somebody says it was your fault, it is not true,” Klopp said. “I want my keeper to come out and try for everything.”

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