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Klopp left frustrated as Big Sam's West Brom hold Liverpool to a draw

Liverpool missed the opportunity to go five points clear at the top of the Premier League table on S...
98FM
98FM

7:21 PM - 27 Dec 2020



Klopp left frustrated as Big S...

Klopp left frustrated as Big Sam's West Brom hold Liverpool to a draw

98FM
98FM

7:21 PM - 27 Dec 2020



Liverpool missed the opportunity to go five points clear at the top of the Premier League table on Sunday evening. 

Sam Allardyce brought his new West Bromwich Albion side to Anfield and they stunned the champions.

It took Sadio Mané just 12 minutes to find the back of the net for the Reds and it looked like this was going to be a routine game for the champions.

How they only went in 1-0 up at the break baffled many after dominating pretty much all over the pitch.

Then it was a case of a game of two halves with Jürgen Klopp's side really poor and sloppy in the second half.

West Brom meanwhile shifted into gear at the break and got the balance right with movement from defensive play into attacking.

When Semi Ajayi equalised with a header across goal that popped in off the right-hand post in the 82nd minute, no one could deny the goal had been coming.

Liverpool then woke up in the last 10 minutes with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Divock Origi coming on to impose more of an attacking threat.

It was too late though and they couldn't capitalise on a number of chances with West Brom keeper Sam Johnstone making a particularly impressive save to deny Roberto Firmino in the dying moments.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, the German manager was clearly frustrated, particularly with the second-half performance from his side.

"In the first half, I think we did ok. We scored the goal, didn't give anything away, especially no set pieces.

"In the second half we didn't do exactly the same, in the first five minutes they had three counter-attacks, we gave them easy, simple corners, that was the only thing hey wanted tonight and we gave it away and that's our fault and that's why we got only one point instead of three."

Klopp was also left frustrated with how the opposition lined out so defensively.

One can't exactly be surprised when you consider the gap in quality between Liverpool and the Baggies.

Klopp couldn't fault Allardyce's side though, saying they did the job they were sent out to do.

"It's an incredible challenge to stay active and stay lively when you constantly face 10 men. To be fair to West Brom they did their job for 90 minutes, we were 1-0 up and they didn't change one bit.

"West Brom deserve the point tonight because we didn't finish the game, we didn't have enough clear cut chances. It's difficult to create, it's a buy period, all the games we've played, but in the end, I think everybody knows and feels like we should have and could have done better tonight and in the end it's a draw.

"You cannot plan clicking in a game, you just have to work for it. It's not a game we will talk about in 20 years but it's a game we had to play and we didn't play it as good as we could."



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Jurgen Klopp Liverpool FC Premier League West Bromwich Albion

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