Liverpool vs. West Bromwich Albion: Preview, Live Stream, Start Time and More
By
(Contributor) on April 16, 2012
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
It's all or nothing from now on for FC Liverpool with only four games left until the end of the season. They have to fight for that seventh spot in the standings if they want a chance at playing in the UEFA Europa League next season. (That is if they lose the FA Cup to FC Chelsea and the Blues don't finish fourth.)
Liverpool is in fierce competition with FC Everton for the seventh rank. Both teams have a relatively easy program until the end, except for Everton's next game, also this Sunday, against Manchester United.
The FA Cup final against Chelsea is on May 5, so Merseysiders will have time to rest and should not focus on it at this point.
FC West Bromwich Albion, currently ranked 13th , doesn't have anything to fight for. They are not in danger of dropping out to the Championship. Theoretically, they could move up to the 10th spot because the point gap between the ninth, Sunderland, and the 14th, FC Stoke City, is only a point.
Where: Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, Merseyside, England
When: Sunday, April 22, 11 a.m. ET
Live Stream: Fox Soccer 2Go
Watch: Fox Soccer Plus
Stats Don't Say Much
Who Will Win?
· Liverpool
67.5%
· West Bromwich Albion
27.3%
· Draw
5.2%
Total votes: 77
It is going to be an interesting match because we don't know what to expect. The game can easily go either way with Liverpool playing inconsistently well.
If they can repeat their game from Saturday when they beat Everton to advance to the FA Cup final, they won't have a problem. However, let's not forget that Everton has always been a special rival, being local and all…
Both Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion have won three games, lost two and drawn once in their last six matches. Only the order in which they occurred is different. They even played the same teams, except for Liverpool's draw against Aston Villa and Albion's 4-0 loss to Manchester City.
At the last corresponding meeting at Anfield on Aug. 29, 2010, Liverpool beat West Bromwich 1-0 with Fernando Torres being the hero then.
Even their match during the first half of the season on Oct. 29, 2011 at the Hawthorns doesn't give a hint. Liverpool won 2-0, with one of the goals being from a penalty shot in the ninth minute. Even the ball possession numbers were similar—58 percent for Liverpool to 42 percent for West Bromwich.
Needless to say, the stats are inconclusive.
Key Matchup: Kenny Dalglish vs. Roy Hodgson
Michael Regan/Getty Images
The respective teams' managers are very familiar with Liverpool's bad playing shape and how the players are capable, or not, dealing with it. Hodgson was the boss in Liverpool during the half of the 2010-2011 season until Dalglish replaced him in January. At one point, the Reds slipped to 12th on the table under Roy Hodgson.
What They're Saying
In the Reds' squad, they are still pretty much hyped over the Everton 2-1 win on Saturday. Warning, though: Liverpool has a lot to improve. Kenny Dalglish is focused on winning the FA Cup, so the team can qualify for the UEFA Champions League:
We should enjoy what we've done but know that we've got to look forward. But we've got a long way to go this season, and I'm not trying to put a dampener on anything from Sunday, but we've got to be realistic. I'm sure we'll move onwards and upwards, but we won't do that if we think we've arrived anywhere.
Amid talks that West Bromwich could lose their top scorer with 10 goals this season, Hodgson says Peter Odemwingie is not going anywhere:
"We don't welcome offers for Peter Odemwingie. He is a West Brom player at the moment and will be next season. We want to keep him and he is under contract. Very simple really."
Prediction: Liverpool 2, West Bromwich Albion 0
And I say this only because I believe that the Reds, led by Gerard, will have the strong will to make the seventh spot cut in the Premier League.
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