EPL: Liverpool V West Brom – Sunday, 29th August

Liverpool V West Brom

Sunday, 29th August – 15:00 GMT

Liverpool

League Position: 17th
League Form: DL

Despite resting the clubs two most prized assets in Thursday’s 2-1 Europa League win in Trabzonspor, Turkey, Liverpool were still put through their paces just a few days ago and won’t have had long to recover from their European exertions, although I’m sure Roy Hodgson will appreciate a cushy home fixture against West Brom rather than another lengthy spell on the road, say down to Blackpool. Moreover, this fixture has proved more than fruitful down the years for the Reds, with Liverpool having never dropped a single point against the Baggies at home, not even conceding a goal in fact, so it should all be rather comfortable, although it’s been nothing of the sort for new manager Roy Hodgson so far to suggest the former Fulham man will be in for a smooth ride for a change.

Liverpool took an age to get going on Thursday in the UEFA Europa League, but two second half strikes from Dirk Kuyt and the boot of a Trabzonspor player was enough for Liverpool to seal progression into the draw for the group stage, which means the fans at least have some form of European competition this season even if it is Europe’s second tier competition – While it also means more games for Roy Hodgson, more importantly a great deal more travelling. Both Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres sat out Thursday’s tie and didn’t even make the trip, so Hodgson will at least have his two most influential and destructive players fresher than most ahead of Sunday’s encounter with new boys West Brom.

It is important Liverpool pick up their first league win sooner rather than later following a disappointing start to the season; dropping two points at home to Arsenal thanks to a Pepe Reina mistake before being comprehensively beaten by Manchester City last Monday in a match where Liverpool haven’t been as poor and one-paced for quite some time. It really was men against boys at Eastlands, with City dominating large periods as Liverpool could barely get hold of possession let alone carve out an opening of note. Fernando Torres was handed his first start of the season but made little impact whatsoever, while N’Gog once again flattered to deceive after his sprightly start to the campaign which had seen him score three goals in as many games for the Reds.

Liverpool offered nothing in the final third against City and sorely missed a player of Joe Cole’s calibre and quality, and it was Cole who made the difference in Turkey during the week, with his energetic bursts down the flanks causing the Trabzonspor defence all sorts of problems. However, Roy Hodgson is still without the suspended Cole for another two league games, although, in fairness, he shouldn’t be too sorely missed on Sunday in a game where Liverpool should win at a cantor, especially if Torres bucks up his game as there is goals here for the Spaniard should he want them. Javier Mascherano is another who probably won’t feature for Liverpool on Sunday, or again for that matter, as he his move away from Anfield nears ever closer to completion.

West Brom

League Position: 13th
League Form: LW

Baggies fans were in celebratory mood over the weekend as their team collected their first three points of the season, bouncing straight back from their Chelsea capitulation to register a 1-0 win over Sunderland at The Hawthorns. New signing Peter Odemwingie, who completed his move from Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow just in time to feature at the weekend, scored West Brom’s winner in a game where they largely dominated from start to finish, but they are unlikely to have it all their own way this Sunday when they travel to Merseyside to take on a Liverpool side which only recently arrived back from their Europa League trip to Turkey.

Roberto Di Matteo will be hoping Liverpool’s European excursions enable his men to challenge Liverpool for some of the spoils, although the Baggies have never actually taken a single point off the Reds in the Premier League. In fact, they’ve never even found the net at Anfield, at least not Liverpool’s, but Sunday could be their best opportunity yet to pounce on the Reds and make them pay for their failure to qualify for the Champions League this season meaning all of their European ties will occur on a Thursday from now, which doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for recuperation ahead of weekend league fixtures.

It was just as well West Brom picked up all three points at the weekend against Sunderland as their upcoming fixtures are tough to say the very least, with trips to Arsenal and Manchester United immediately over the horizon. They were well worth their win mind, with some of the crisp passing moves which caused Championship opponents all sorts of problems last season catching Sunderland out at the Hawthorns as fans embraced their new Nigerian forward. Peter Odemwingie was almost playing up front as a long striker but wasn’t phased in the slightest at having to do most of the offensive work by himself, shrugging off any attempts of a firm tackle by the Sunderland, stoutly holding his own, while his nimble footwork and athletic agility means he can weave in and out of tight defensive situations. The Nigerian really did have an impressive début and fans will now be expecting further progression from the clubs current top goalscorer this season, which is only one goal but sounds impressive all the same.

Baggies manager Roberto Di Matteo is likely to start with the same eleven which beat Sunderland eight days ago, with Odemwingie starting as a lone forward with a five-man strong midfield. The main aim will be tor restrict the midfield distribution of Liverpool, to contain the likes of Lucas and Steven Gerrard and to stop Fernando Torres receiving the ball as much as possible, as the Spaniard would thrive against a defence which conceded six on their only away outing thus far. However, they do need to remain prominent in attack as well, something they haven’t done in previous visits to Anfield – Failing to find the back of Liverpool’s net in four visits to Merseyside – and in their sparkling new Nigerian forward, West Brom may just have found their diamond in the rough.

Match Prediction: Liverpool to WIN – 1.25 BetFred

West Brom have a terrible record at Anfield and we don’t enivsage their Anfield woes getting any better in their sixth visit, despite Liverpool’s European exertions just days before.

Both Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard were rested for the Europa League tie on Thursday and didn’t even make the trip, so providing they start at Anfield on Sunday should enjoy themselves against a Baggies defence which has always been vulnerable against quality opposition, as Chelsea shown on the opening day of the season when smashing West Brom for six at Stamford Bridge.

This game is one Liverpool can ill-afford to slip in, by far and away one of their easier home games of the campaign, and so anything less a win would be considered a massive shock and a huge disappointment. We don’t see them slipping up however and see nothing else other than a comfortable home win for the Reds.

Match Odds:

Liverpool – 1.25 BetFred
Draw – 6.00 SkyBet
West Brom – 16.00 PaddyPower

Soccer-Betting Tip: Liverpool to be Winning 2-0 at Half-Time – 6.00 Coral