After ending Manchester City’s winning run, Liverpool have now lost back-to-back against the Premier League’s bottom two. West Brom join Barnsley, Reading, Oldham, Aston Villa, West Ham and Wolves in Liverpool’s recent FA Cup hall of shame – and showed other struggling top-flight teams why the Cup is worth bothering with. I’m making a sharp exit, but stick around for our match report, which will be landing shortly. Thanks for joining me. Bye!
Some immediate reaction from West Brom players: “We had to work hard tonight, and it was a great victory,” says Craig Dawson. “There was a lot of waiting around and uncertainty (with VAR) but we had to keep our focus.” “We wanted to be solid but also threaten them, we felt we could exploit them defensively,” says Jay Rodriguez. “It’s a great feeling to come here and win.”
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Full time: Liverpool 2-3 West Brom
After a crazy, VAR-heavy first half and a long second-half defensive stand, West Brom have knocked Liverpool out of the Cup!
94 mins: Van Dijk heads upfield and gets his head to a cross, but Foster gets down well to save. And that’s it!
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93 mins: Another ten minutes would do for West Brom, with two players hardly able to move. Thankfully for them, they only have a minute to hold on, camped in their own area...
92 mins: Moreno’s cross is chested down by Ings, but Hegazi intercepts and hoofs away. Only one other Liverpool player was in the area.
90 mins: Four added minutes. Moreno gets to the byline but can’t control the pass, and the ball trickles behind.
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89 mins: Alexander-Arnold’s cross is cut out before it can reach Danny Ings at the far post. Evans now limping as well.
88 mins: Firmino’s shot loops off a defender and is plucked out of the air by Foster.
87 mins: West Brom have made all three subs – two because of first-half injuries – and Jake Livermore is limping heavily now.
85 mins: Ings almost gets to Milner’s through ball ahead of Foster but Hegazi muscles him off the ball. The corner sails into Foster’s arms. Time running out for Liverpool, as Hegazi is booked for dissent over the award of a corner, presumably.
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84 mins: The free kick is wasted.
83 mins: The substitutions have certainly helped for Liverpool, and Craig Dawson is booked for a late lunge as Milner surged past him.
82 mins: Henderson’s deep cross drifts out of play.
80 mins: Salah is closed down smartly by Yacob, but Liverpool are very much on the front foot, and the crowd are making plenty of noise. Ten minutes to go.
@niallmcveigh there should have been VAR for all Sepp Blatter's decisions...
— Magnus (@Kamew220) January 27, 2018
Mag.
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GOAL! Liverpool 2-3 West Brom (Salah 77')
Alexander-Arnold’s cross ricochets off Firmino and lands at the feet of Salah, who strokes the ball into the bottom corner. Game on!
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76 mins: Another hopeful penalty appeal as Salah goes down in the area, but West Brom are having a hard time clearing their lines...
74 mins: Liverpool finally finding some space in the final third, and Ings’ curling shot is tipped away by Foster. Milner follows up, but the flag is up. A shame for Foster, who turns his shot away quite brilliantly.
73 mins: Milner tests Foster with a snap shot after Alexander-Arnold’s cross bounces into his path. The West Brom keeper, who nearly missed this game with flu, parries it away.
71 mins: Gareth Barry, booked in the first half, is replaced by Claudio Yacob.
69 mins: Fair play to West Brom, who have been really well organised, and Alan Pardew for keeping Matt Phillips alongside Rodriguez when it would have been easy to pack the midfield. They’ve been able to repeatedly stall Liverpool’s momentum with forays forward.
It’s time for Reasons to Love VAR, with Chris Hughes: “Sepp Blatter famously said ‘we don’t need this science’ in relation to video technology. Surely this is reason alone to back it?”
67 mins: The Kop appeal as one for a penalty as Ings goes down under Foster’s challenge. Looked soft, and Pawson doesn’t even consult the VAR. Very cavalier.
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66 mins: Rodriguez keeps the ball well, totally on his own in the Liverpool half, and waits for support from Phillips. The winger’s cross rolls towards Mignolet – but Matip boots it pretty much out of his hands.
64 mins: Can, Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Mané go off, replaced by an all-England trio of Danny Ings, James Milner and Jordan Henderson.
63 mins: Brunt nicks the ball in midfield, plays a one-two while on the floor and sets up a through ball to Phillips, who fires wide. Klopp has seen enough and is about to make three changes.
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62 mins: Tick tock.
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60 mins: The free-kick slams into the wall and the ball goes behind for a corner, which is floated straight to Foster. West Brom break, and the impressive Brunt is upended by Emre Can, who is booked.
57 mins: Sadio Mané is fouled on the edge of the area by Evans, and Liverpool have a promising free kick, 25 yards out.
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VAR is not proving popular, judging by my inbox and social media, that ever-reliable barometer. It did overturn two incorrect decisions in the first half – surely it’s not all a waste of time?
54 mins: Oxlade-Chamberlain slips the ball to Alexander-Arnold after a long, tentative build-up. The full back belts the ball behind the goal. Liverpool need to wake up.
50 mins: “As an Evertonian, I am not a neutral but I am enjoying this immensely,” says Jegs McGregor, if that is his real name. Liverpool are struggling to build any momentum as the crowd mutter among themselves.
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48 mins: Nyom’s cross towards Rodriguez is headed behind by Van Dijk. The corner is lofted to Krychowiak. His air-kick loops towards Mignolet but Dawson, one of six West Brom players standing offside, nods the ball in. Pawson gives offside then double checks with VAR, which really seems unnecessary.
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46 mins: Half-chance at a fourth for West Brom, as Phillips races into the box and tests Mignolet with an attempted lob from a tight angle.
Peep!
We’re back under way.
“I guess your Gerrards didn’t reckon with your Rodriguezes. Has anyone else this season shipped three goals to West Brom in one half?” asks Peter Oh.
Only one team has shipped three in an entire game – Accrington, in the Carabao Cup. All the VAR hullabaloo has obscured the fact that Liverpool’s defence has been dreadful.
Liverpool fans were chanting “V-A-R!” after that goal. Safe to say the new system has arrived in English football. Your thoughts, as always, are welcome.
Half time: Liverpool 1-3 West Brom
Some people thought VAR would take all the fun out of football. How wrong they were. The long and the short of it is that at half-time, West Brom lead by two goals, and Liverpool are 45 minutes from crashing out of the FA Cup.
A hooked, speculative pass caught the Liverpool offside trap cold. Jay Rodriguez was standing offside, but not interfering with play, and Craig Dawson volleyed the ball across goal. It looked like Rodriguez then got the final touch, but after a long chat with Andre Marriner, Pawson awards the goal as it went in off Joel Matip.
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GOAL! Liverpool 1-3 West Brom (Matip OG 47')
This might be a hat-trick for Rodriguez, or an own goal for Matip, but West Brom will settle for it counting. After a long consultation, Craig Pawson awards the goal, and Liverpool are in deep trouble.
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“If Alfie Mawson goes to Everton as has been rumoured, the next WBA vs Everton match could feature the Pawson/Dawson/Tosun/Mawson foursome,” says Eamonn Maloney.
44 mins: Mané finds a pocket of space but his cross to Firmino is too high, and West Brom try to counter. Krychowiak gets caught in possession and in a flash, Liverpool break back, with Salah drilling a low shot into the side netting.
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42 mins: Phillips is on and making a nuisance of himself, pressuring Van Dijk deep in Liverpool territory.
“I was under the impression that any appeal for VAR was immediately a yellow card,” says Richard Dennis. It does seem that’s what players have been told in tutorials, but perhaps it’s best that isn’t happening. Things would get very messy indeed. And yellow cards for correct appeals like Salah’s, while undeniably funny, would be quite unfair.
38 mins: Robson-Kanu also appeared to ask Pawson to look at the challenge that hurt him again. That’s weird for two reasons: 1) It wouldn’t fall under VAR, and 2) there wasn’t really a challenge.
37 mins: Robson-Kanu is also injured, with Matt Phillips about to come on. This is has been a rough first half for West Brom, considering the scoreline.
36 mins: After (another) lengthy stoppage in play, Gibbs goes off and Alexander-Arnold stings Ben Foster’s palms with a long-range shot. “LiVARpool” honks Stuart Graves.
34 mins: Kieran Gibbs has pulled up with a hamstring injury, and will be replaced by Ahmed Hegazy. That’s a shame for Gibbs, he’d made a bright start.
32 mins: Barry is penalised for a heavy challenge, which could have earned him another booking on another day.
31 mins: Salah sashays through the West Brom defence and tees up Firmino, whose shot is saved by Forster. Liverpool corner, hacked away.
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29 mins: After the dust has settled, the VAR appears to have made two correct interventions. The time it took – and the fact Pawson only seemed interested after Salah persuaded him – are two obvious concerns, though.
“I’d have to disagree with Steve McManaman. As a neutral I was looking forward to a grindingly tedious stalemate. Now they’ve gone and spoiled everything,” says Julian Le Saux.
27 mins: Moreno gallops down the left wing, but his cross is deflected into the arms of Ben Foster. Gareth Barry was booked for whining about the penalty.
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Roberto Firmino misses the penalty!
This is some prime-time entertainment, right here. Firmino’s spot kick cracks off the underside of the bar, and West Brom clear.
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Penalty to Liverpool!
Pawson has a look at a replay, and concludes that it is indeed a penalty. Three minutes after the foul, Roberto Firmino has the ball on the spot...
It's time for the tiny screen!
Mo Salah tumbles over after chasing a deep cross, and implores Pawson to check with VAR. The referee obliges, and replays suggest Salah was pulled back by Livermore. Is it obvious enough to be overturned, though? Pawson is going to have another look himself...
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The process definitely needs ironing out, but the VAR has made the right call there. Craig Dawson denied by Craig Pawson – and he’s had to have another word with Marriner already, as Liverpool appeal for a penalty!
VAR cancels out a third West Brom goal!
West Brom win a corner, it’s swung in, and Craig Dawson stoops to head the ball in. But wait – the referee is asking the VAR to have another look... and it’s been chalked off. Gareth Barry was offside, which saved a trickier decision over a foul on Mignolet, or Dawson climbing on Firmino.
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“I’d say this counts as entertaining so far,” says Matt Dony. Macca was right – only neutrals who hate to be entertained won’t have enjoyed the first 10 minutes.
15 mins: Mané thinks about taking on Nyom, but decides to pick out Emre Can, 25 yards out, whose air-kick is unseemly. At the other end, Gibbs ambles forwards and thwacks a shot high into the Kop.
13 mins: Liverpool are passing and probing, their intensity compromised by that disastrous spell.
You can spend £75m on a defender, then Hal Robson-Kanu stands in his way twice & there's nothing you can do. What a sport this is.
— Nick Miller (@NickMiller79) January 27, 2018
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This was a nice, tidy move from the visitors against a forgiving defence. Krychowiak’s dummy outfoxes Emre Can before he slips a pass to Gibbs, whose low cross catches Van Dijk out, the defender preoccupied by Robson-Kanu. Rodriguez is on hand to hammer it in.
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GOAL! Liverpool 1-2 West Brom (Rodriguez 10')
Woof! West Brom lead, and Jay Rodriguez has another one in front of the Kop.
9 mins: What a start. Liverpool have a decent chance to retake the lead, Firmino timing his pass to Salah whose cut-back just evades Mané, darting in at the far post.
Straight from the kick-off, Liverpool dallied in midfield and Chris Brunt brought the ball down before slipping a pass to Jay Rodriguez. From 18 yards out, he leathers a first-time shot past Simon Mignolet!
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GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 West Brom (Rodriguez 7')
And 60 seconds later, West Brom are level!
A back pass from the halfway line is left by Jonny Evans and Ben Foster, and Mo Salah motors through on goal. Foster denies him, but from the rebound, Roberto Firmino lifts the ball expertly into the far corner from 20 yards.
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GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 West Brom (Firmino 5')
...and 30 seconds and one defensive howler later, Liverpool lead!
5 mins: Gareth Barry tucks the ball to Brunt, stationed on the left wing, but his cross towards the two forwards is overhit...
4 mins: A slow start, with Rodriguez dribbling the ball away to end a tentative Liverpool attack.
2 mins: “I think most neutrals would like an entertaining game,” offers Steve McManaman on co-comms. Most? Mané has a shot from 25 yards, but it’s weak and blocked away.
Peep!
Liverpool in all red, West Brom in navy and white striped shirts, white shorts, white socks. That should help VAR Andre Marriner tell Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kieran Gibbs apart on his screen.
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With reference to West Brom’s 1968 Cup run, which called at Anfield, here’s some footage:
Also of note: the final against Everton was the first to be broadcast in colour, with West Brom in their ‘lucky’ white kit and Everton in amber and blue – so odd kit choices and the power of TV aren’t entirely new concepts in football.
“Live Your Dream (the hoarding in the background of the photo) sounds like a message directed at Phil Coutinho,” says Peter Oh.
In the BT Sport studio, Steven Gerrard predicts that West Brom will try and repeat that 0-0 draw in December, but “your Manés, your Salahs, your Firminos” will have too much for the visitors.
Anyone out there? How do you feel about this 7.45pm kick-off time, on a Saturday night? They could become a much more regular fixture if the TV companies have their way – and let’s face it, they probably will.
VAR is also in play tonight, after mixed results in the third round. All very futuristic at Anfield tonight.
All over in South Wales, and Newport County hold on for a draw. Well played.
Gah – Harry Kane, who apparently hates the Magic of the Cup, has just equalised. Still, a replay at Wembley would be a pretty decent second prize. Can Newport hold on?
There’s only one place you should be directing your eyes for the next 15 minutes, and that’s Nick Miller’s MBM. League One Newport County are 1-0 up against Spurs...
So, a strong team from Liverpool, with the three remaining members of the Fab Four all starting. Pardew hasn’t thrown in the towel either, fielding forwards Hal Robson-Kanu and Jay Rodriguez in a solid-looking starting eleven.
Team news
Liverpool: Mignolet; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Moreno; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Can, Wijnaldum; Mané, Firmino, Salah.
Subs: Lovren, Milner, Gomez, Henderson, Ings, Solanke, Ward.
West Brom: Foster; Nyom, Dawson, Evans, Gibbs; Livermore, Krychowiak, Barry; Brunt, Robson-Kanu, Rodriguez.
Subs: Yacob, Rondon, Phillips, Myhill, McClean, Burke, Hegazi.
Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire)
Preamble
Few would argue that Jürgen Klopp has improved Liverpool since his arrival, but silverware has proved elusive, in contrast to his pot-peppered peak at Borussia Dortmund. The FA Cup represents his best chance this season, and the fourth round visit of West Brom shouldn’t pose a significant obstacle. There are, however, a couple of reasons why Klopp shouldn’t take this too lightly.
First off, Liverpool’s record since they last won the trophy in 2006 – memorably beating Alan Pardew’s West Ham in the final – is distinctly below par. A top-eight club in every league season, they’ve failed to make the quarter finals in nine of their last 11 attempts. They’ve reached one final, and lost, since 2006 – a record matched by Pardew himself.
Secondly, West Brom’s recent record at Anfield is not too shabby - they won here in 2012 and 2013, and ground out a goalless draw just six weeks ago. Surprisingly, these teams have avoided each other in the FA Cup since 1968 – when the Baggies won a quarter final second replay and went on to win the trophy.
So, all the omens point to a shock away win, and Pardew heading back to Wembley. That, or a patchwork West Brom will be 3-0 down inside 15 minutes. Who knows? That’s the magic of the Cup.
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