Liverpool beat West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League 2-1 on Sunday after a remarkable late header from goalkeeper Alisson.
West Brom raced into a shock lead after just 15 minutes, when the returning Hal Robson-Kanu capitalised on an error from Rhys Williams to curl the ball into the far corner of the Liverpool net. Parity was restored not long after however, with Golden Boot contender Mohamed Salah clinically firing home from range.
From there, Liverpool began to establish control and press forward in search of a match-winning goal. Further chances fell for Salah and Roberto Firmino, but in the end, it was Alisson who stunningly headed home from a corner kick to keep Liverpool’s top-four hopes alive.
Positives
The travelling side showed good spirit to work their way back into the game after going a goal behind. As is so often the case, Salah was the instigator for the attempted comeback, with his no-look goal eventually levelling the game. Credit has to be given to the Liverpool midfielders, who remained patient up against a stubborn West Brom backline.
– Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)
Negatives
West Brom were very clearly set out to disrupt Liverpool with a barrage of crosses and set pieces. They had some success with this, as Alisson often struggled to effectively punch crosses clear of his goal. Sam Allardyce’s team also managed to expose the young Liverpool centre-back pairing of Williams and Nathaniel Phillips, who were frequently dragged out of position by intelligent movement. This resulted in Robson-Kanu handing West Brom a first-half lead, from which point the Reds were always chasing the game.
Manager rating out of 10
7 — In terms of team selection, Jurgen Klopp was ultimately left with very few alternative options with fresh injuries to the likes of Diogo Jota and Ozan Kabak. Nevertheless, he did opt to once again pair Williams with Phillips at centre-back, rather than recalling Fabinho into the back four. This nearly cost his side, as Williams being dragged out of position left room in behind for Robson-Kanu to score in the first half. Klopp chose to introduce Xherdan Shaqiri on the hour mark, with the Switzerland international looking lively from the outset.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating):
GK Alisson, 8 — He became the first goalkeeper to score in the Premier League this season, after clinically directing Andrew Robertson’s corner into the West Brom net with a bullet header. An incredible moment from the Brazilian, whose keeping at the other end wasn’t too bad either.
DF Trent Alexander-Arnold, 7 — Excellent once again for Liverpool, after his heroics at Old Trafford last time out. The right-back linked up very well with Salah on the right and picked out his teammates with a handful of outrageous passes.
DF Nathaniel Phillips, 5 — Looked accomplished aerially but struggled somewhat with runs in behind the defence. Was also wasteful at the other end, after being unable to guide his headers on target.
DF Rhys Williams, 5 — Made the costly error that led to West Brom’s first goal, after being dragged out of position. He generally didn’t look comfortable, with his mobility causing a number of issues throughout.
DF Andrew Robertson, 6 — An energetic, if slightly underwhelming display from the Scotland international, who didn’t effectively fill in for Williams to prevent West Brom’s goal. His crossing was also slightly off on the day, but he made up for that by assisting Liverpool’s winner.
MF Fabinho, 6 — Patrolled the midfield well and seldom gave the ball away, although his propensity for fouls did eventually lead to a booking.
MF Curtis Jones, 6 — The academy graduate was heavily involved in the away side’s buildup play. He showed glimmers of quality but was largely frustrated in the first period.
MF Thiago, 8 — It took the Spain international a little while to get settled, but once he did so Liverpool started to control proceedings. His passing and sharp link-up play with the three forwards caused plenty of issues for the Albion defenders, helping to turn the tide in the guests’ favour.
FW Roberto Firmino, 6 — Lively but wasteful in key moments, as all too often his first touch let him down. The Brazil forward was exceptional against Manchester United in midweek, but couldn’t quite maintain such form on this night.
FW Mohamed Salah, 7 — Scored his 22nd Premier League goal of the season after an instinctive finish from outside the West Brom box. It was a moment of supreme quality that got Liverpool back into the game after a very slow start.
FW Sadio Mane, 7 — While the Senegal forward was wasteful at times, his industry and work in a defensive capacity shouldn’t go unnoticed. After all, it was Mane’s initial interception that led to Salah’s early equaliser.
Substitutes
MF Xherdan Shaqiri, 6 — Replaced Jones on the hour mark, taking over where the youngster left off in terms of passing and always offering for the ball centrally.
MF Georginio Wijnaldum, N/R — Came on for the final 10 minutes as Liverpool searched for a late winner.