Allardyce Stops Liverpool's Perfect Home Trend

Liverpool in the West Brow draw at home (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Seasoned manager Sam Allardyce shows off his skills to stop Liverpool's perfect home trend this season. He led West Bromwich to a 1-1 draw in Week 15 of the Premier League at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, Sunday local time (Monday WIB).

The advantage that Liverpool had since the 12th minute through Sadio Mane was successfully buried by West Brom through Semi Ajayi's header in the 82nd minute.

The result made West Brom the first team to return home from Anfield with points, after seven other clubs including Tottenham Hotspur have always left Liverpool headquarters empty-handed this season.

This result also extends Allardyce's brilliant record, which has never tasted defeat in his last four trips to Anfield with Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Everton.

In fact, Allardyce was also the last coach who could make his team win at Anfield when he brought Palace to silence Liverpool 2-1 on April 23, 2017.

Since then, Liverpool have been unbeaten at Anfield in Premier League matches, including after West Brom's 1-1 draw to become 67 games in a row.

Launching Antara, Liverpool appeared dominant throughout the first half and even the official English League website statistics recorded that they earned 82 percent of the ball's possession.

Unfortunately, that dominance coincided with frustration over the ultradefensive strategy Allardyce employed for West Brom by placing up to five players in the penalty box and another five nearby each time Liverpool had possession.

The only time Liverpool managed to break through West Brom's defensive wall came when Joel Matip sent a low pass that Mane could control past Ajayi before beating goalkeeper Sam Johnstone with a powerful shot in the 12th minute.

However, beyond that Liverpool's players were unable to create meaningful opportunities, including when they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the penalty box which was poorly executed by Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Entering the second half, West Brom appeared bolder and put two players hanging up front and it got its own boost when Matip had to leave the field due to injury and was replaced by young defender Rhys Williams in the 60th minute.

West Brom almost equalized when Williams lost on a run to Karlan Ahearne-Grant in the 72nd minute lucky goalkeeper Alisson Becker made a save.

Confidence continued to grow in West Brom's camp, amid the fragility that began to show in the Liverpool defense and young midfielder Curtis Jones made a nasty blunder that ended in a corner in the 81st minute.

The corner paid off as Matheus Pereira sent in a cross and Ajayi was able to greet him with a header that tricked Alisson, the ball hitting the crossbar but in the end it crossed the line for West Brom.

The score lasted until dispersed amid Liverpool's increasingly dead-end appearance looking for a way to penetrate West Brom's defense.

Liverpool failed to take advantage of competitors' results to widen the advantage at the top of the standings.

Juergen Klopp's team remain at the top with a collection of 32 points, only three points ahead of city rivals Everton (29), while West Brom (8) have yet to move from 19th.

West Brom have had shorter rest time because they have to host Leeds United in the next match on Tuesday, December 29, while Liverpool visit Newcastle United a day later.