The FourFourTwo Preview: Liverpool vs West Brom

Premier League | Anfield | Sat 26 Oct | 3pm
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The lowdown
LIVERPOOL FORM
- Newcastle 2-2 Liverpool (Prem)
- Liverpool 3-1 Palace (Prem)
- S'land 1-3 Liverpool (Prem)
- Man Utd 1-0 Liverpool (LC)
- Liverpool 0-1 So'ton (Prem)
WEST BROM FORM
- Stoke 0-0 WBA (Prem)
- WBA 1-1 Arsenal (Prem)
- Man Utd 1-2 WBA (Prem)
- WBA 1-1 Arsenal (LC)
- WBA 3-0 S'land (Prem)
Mamadou Sakho may be constructed from mature teak, but the Frenchman’s introduction to the Liverpool back-line hasn’t been the smoothest. The 23-year-old centre-back looks jittery in possession, while Martin Skrtel suffers similar problems. A return to coach Brendan Rodgers’ back three for Daniel Agger could be the answer, although the classy Dane lacks the others’ mean streak.
Team news
Key battle: Aly Cissokho vs Morgan Amalfitano

LAST FIVE MEETINGS
- Liverpool 0-2 WBA (Prem, Feb 13)
- WBA 1-2 Liverpool (LC, Sep 12)
- WBA 3-0 Liverpool (Prem, Aug 12)
- Liverpool 0-1 WBA (Prem, Apr 12)
- WBA 0-2 Liverpool (Prem, Oct 11)
The managers
Rodgers and Clarke sat in opposing dugouts last season, of course, but seeing a pair of former Chelsea coaches against each other still has the feeling of two overly competitive relations attempting to out-do the other at a family reunion.
Both have produced attractive teams that pass well and provide proof that the dearth of coaches in the United Kingdom isn’t perhaps as bad as is frequently portrayed.
Facts and figures
- Liverpool have kept a clean sheet in over half (13) of their 23 Premier League home games under Brendan Rodgers.
- West Brom have won and kept a clean sheet in each of their last three Premier League games against Liverpool.
- Liverpool have not kept a clean sheet in their last five PL games. The only other time that Liverpool have gone this long without a clean sheet under Brendan Rodgers was in his first six league games at the club (Aug-Sept 2012).
- West Brom are unbeaten in five Premier League games (W2 D3); their longest unbeaten run in the competition since April 2011 (seven games).
- In-form Daniel Sturridge has had a hand in more Premier League goals than any other player this season (nine – seven goals, two assists).
- Sturridge has scored in all but one of his eight Premier League appearances for Liverpool in 2013/14.
- Goalscoring centurion Steven Gerrard has created more goalscoring chances than any other Premier League player this season (21).
- No referee has awarded more penalties since the start of last season in the Premier League than Jon Moss; with three of those coming this season.
- 11 of the 13 goals that Liverpool have scored this season have arrived in the first half.
- Jonas Olsson has been forced in to making more clearances than any other player in the Premier League this season (86).
FourFourTwo prediction