Liverpool’s title dream is over but West Brom’s Great Escape (part two) is still alive and kicking. All they need to do is get a result against a Liverpool side that they haven’t even scored past for 26 years!
You have to go back to 1981 for the last time the Baggies triumphed over their Merseyside counterparts, thanks to goals from Bryan Robson and Cyril Regis. Since then the Reds have gone 18 league and cup matches unbeaten against them, and nobody really expects that record to change this weekend, but then this is football and anything can happen.
The Baggies have won their last two home games, scoring three goals each time in the process, and have given themselves an outside chance of beating the drop. A point would take the relegation issue down to the final day of the season but everyone knows that victory is what they ultimately require.
Liverpool’s title challenge may have ended on Saturday but, let’s be honest, it was really lost in January when they drew with the likes of Stoke City, Everton and Wigan Athletic. However, if Benitez can add quality to the squad in the summer and keep Gerrard and Torres fit for the whole season then they will be serious title contenders next year.
It will be interesting to see what team Benitez starts with at the Hawthorns. Will he rest his star names and give some of his squad players a game or will he send the first team out with the intention of sending the Baggies down with a major hiding?
It’s believed that Fernando Torres will feature despite being taken off last week with a hamstring worry and Alonso and Mascherano are both expected to play some part too.
West Brom, fresh from their emphatic 3-1 win over Wigan last weekend, will be without the injured James Morrison and Abdoulaye Meite, and Dean Kiely, who produced heroics at the Hawthorns last week against the Latics, will be looking to keep his place ahead of Scott Carson in goal.
Tony Mowbray was quoted in the Press this week saying that he was amazed that the majority of the fans are still behind him, despite the club propping up the table for most of the season. If the Baggies produce a miracle at the Hawthorns this weekend he will be hailed a God in Sandwell.
West Bromwich Albion vs Liverpool; Kick Off 1:30pm 17 May 2009
Prediction Panel
Our panel contains both Squarefootball writers and readers, the writers are marked: (sqf).
Tony Bellew : 1 - 2
Dave Blackburn : 1 - 3
Sue Gardener : 1 - 4
Chris Goodwin : TBC - TBC
Paul Grech (sqf) : 2 - 1
Colin Illingworth (sqf) : 2 - 1
Hugh Larkin (sqf) : 1 - 2
Peter Lee : 0 - 3
Don McMahon : 0 - 2
Antony Melvin (sqf) : 0 - 4
Stephen Orford (sqf) : 1 - 3
Tony Ratton : 1 - 3
Peter Rendle : 1 - 3
Dan Taylor : 1 - 2
Bill Urban (sqf) : TBC - TBC
Andy Wakeman : 1 - 0
Isaac Williams : TBC - TBC
Mark Williams : TBC - TBC
Panel Verdict
The panel is expecting Liverpool to win easily and send West Brom down.
Home: 3; Draw: 0; Away: 11; TBC: 4;
* Do we have it right, or do you know better? Please don't bother with derisory comments on the predictions after the match - unless you also pulled us up before it!
