West Brom 1-2 Liverpool: Alison wonderland keeps champions league football alive for Liverpool
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| Alison leaned forward to head home the winner at the Hawthorns. (Photo credit: Premierleague.com) |
We don’t see this often, Mike Dean allowed the corner to be taken despite having only seconds left on the four minutes added time, Liverpool needed a goal of any kind, Salah couldn’t help, Firminho blazed over, Mane couldn’t even get into the box, Alison had other ideas…
Liverpool took on West Brom with bookmakers expecting a rout considering the present-day dynamics – Westbrom was already relegated and Liverpool has everything to fight for with respect to top four and a strong finish, it didn’t go according to the script.
Diogo Jota is ruled out for the rest of the season with what Jurgen Klopp described as “a bone issue” so the trio of Salah, Mane and Firminho started upfront; Curtis Jones replaced Gini Wijnaldum with the latter pushing for a move away and Fabinho partnered Nathan Williams at the back.
With the hand brake off, the Baggies started well and was rewarded with a deft Hal Robson-Kanu strike, heaping pressure on Liverpool as they looked jaded after the United win.
Liverpool had lots of chances but either resolute defending stood in their way or Sam Johnstone wasn’t going to let them score.
Salah did find the back of the net to leapfrog Harry Kane in the golden boot race after he was teed up by Mane but replays showed Mike Dean shouldn’t have given a free kick in the build-up.
Liverpool pressed in vain throughout the first half for the second goal but Westbrom could have scored as well, Robson Kanu was dangerous on the break and he had Perreira feeding him as well.
The second half wasn’t different, Liverpool huffed and puffed for long but it was West Brom that looked the likelier to score, Alison saved repeatedly from Perreira and Robson-Kanu, the Baggies had the ball in the net late on but was ruled out by VAR with Jake Livermore deemed to obstruct Alison’s view.
The drama ended the affair at the Hawthorns, with four minutes added after regulation time ended 1-1, Liverpool had thrown on Xherdan Shakiri and Gini Wijnaldum, the corner was to be taken by Trent Alexander Arnold and Alison made his way into the box…
The corner was lofted into the West Brom box, no one was marking Alison, they underrated him, he leapt a little and met the ball with a glancing header, well-measured and timed to perfection, the ball sailed into the top right and Liverpool were 2-1 up with nothing left on the clock.
The entire stadium went into delirium, even Baggies players rallied Alison, for all his troubles, his father’s death, chaos in the team that led to them being at risk of missing out of Europe altogether, it was a moment of respite for him.
The result means Chelsea must beat Leicester on Tuesday as they sit just one point above Liverpool in fourth, Liverpool are away to Burnley and a win would help them further up with the Foxes and Chelsea playing each other.
Liverpool pressed in vain throughout the first half for the second goal but Westbrom could have scored as well, Robson Kanu was dangerous on the break and he had Perreira feeding him as well.
The second half wasn’t different, Liverpool huffed and puffed for long but it was West Brom that looked the likelier to score, Alison saved repeatedly from Perreira and Robson-Kanu, the Baggies had the ball in the net late on but was ruled out by VAR with Jake Livermore deemed to obstruct Alison’s view.
The drama ended the affair at the Hawthorns, with four minutes added after regulation time ended 1-1, Liverpool had thrown on Xherdan Shakiri and Gini Wijnaldum, the corner was to be taken by Trent Alexander Arnold and Alison made his way into the box…
The corner was lofted into the West Brom box, no one was marking Alison, they underrated him, he leapt a little and met the ball with a glancing header, well-measured and timed to perfection, the ball sailed into the top right and Liverpool were 2-1 up with nothing left on the clock.
The entire stadium went into delirium, even Baggies players rallied Alison, for all his troubles, his father’s death, chaos in the team that led to them being at risk of missing out of Europe altogether, it was a moment of respite for him.
The result means Chelsea must beat Leicester on Tuesday as they sit just one point above Liverpool in fourth, Liverpool are away to Burnley and a win would help them further up with the Foxes and Chelsea playing each other.
