Premier League - Liverpool relegate West Brom

Eurosport - Mon, 18 May 08:55:00 2009

West Bromwich Albion became the first team relegated from the Premier League this season after losing 2-0 to Liverpool at The Hawthorns.

2008-2009 West Bromwich Albion - 0

The Baggies knew they had to beat Rafa Benitez's side to maintain any realistic chance of staying up, but were undone by goals from Steven Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt.

Tony Mowbray's side appeared relegation certainties for much of the season, but two wins in three games stirred hope that they could repeat their 'great escape' of 2004/05, when they became the only side in the Premier League era to avoid relegation having been bottom at Christmas.

But familiar failings cost them dear, as a catastrophic lapse of concentration from Shelton Martis led to the opening goal, while Juan Carlos Menseguez and Marc-Antoine Fortune contrived to squander a gilt-edged chance shortly before Kuyt added the second.

The home side's preparations were not helped by lurid claims in a Sunday newspaper about striker Roman Bednar, causing the striker's immediate suspension while the club conduct an investigation.

The win virtually guarantees Liverpool will finish second, but it was overshadowed by a bizarre confrontation between defenders Jamie Carragher and Alvaro Arbeloa.

Twenty-four hours earlier, the visitors saw their Premier League title bid ended by Manchester United, and started in suitably lacklustre fashion.

Roared on by a boisterous crowd, the Baggies raced out of the blocks and would have led in the fifth minute had it not been for a brilliant double save by Jose Reina.

A Chris Brunt corner from the right found Jonathan Greening at the far post, whose shot brought a superb reflex stop from Reina, and the Spaniard sprung to his feet to block Greening's follow-up.

West Brom captain Greening was at the heart of the action moments later when he nutmegged Emiliano Insua - a late replacement for Fabio Aurelio - and delivered a dangerous cross from the right that the visitors scrambled away.

At the other end, there was little to do for Dean Kiely, preferred in goal to Scott Carson after a magnificent display against Wigan last weekend.

Everything changed on 28 minutes, when Martis dawdled inexplicably on the ball and was robbed by Gerrard.

The Liverpool skipper raced through on goal and lifted the ball deftly over Kiely into the left corner of the net.

It was the 24th goal of an outstanding season for the man voted Football Writers' Player of the Year.

Gerrard then went close with a curling 25-yarder, then supplied a cross for Fernando Torres, whose glancing header forced Kiely to tip over.

The second half followed much the same pattern as West Brom played some vibrant stuff but failed to take their chances.

On 59 minutes, Menseguez was fortunately adjudged onside when played through by Robert Koren. He could have shot but chose to square it for Fortune, whose failure to attack the ball gave Lucas Leiva the chance to make a goal-saving tackle.

It was a glorious chance, and within five minutes Kuyt had doubled Liverpool's lead, collecting a Gerrard pass, weaving into space and battering a low shot into the right corner of the West Brom net.

Fortune proceeded to miss two more sitters - one a particularly simple free header - and when he finally put the ball in the net he was denied by an offside flag.

Liverpool might have been forgiven for taking their foot off the gas, but their will to win spilled over in embarrassing fashion late on when Carragher and Arbeloa squared up to each other and exchanged shoves before team-mates pulled them apart.

The Hawthorns gave West Brom a rousing send-off as time wound down. If the fervency and loyalty of their support is anything to go by, their exile from the top flight should be a short one.

Alex Chick / Eurosport

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  1. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    . . . . . ­ . . . . ­ . . . . ­ . . . . . ­ . . . . . ­ . . . . ­ .

    Will you thick Scouse muppets get it right.­ Manchester­ United have been trying to match­ Liverpool's 18­ League wins for 36 years, not 20­ years as most of you­ dimwits are saying. United have­ been playing catch up­ since Liverpool won their 8th in­ 1973 - that's 36­ years ago! Got it! God, call­ yourselves football fans!­ you don't even know your­ own clubs history!!! but­ the truth is this is an end­ of an era, start of a new­ era. Liverpool FC's­­­­ 36 year reign as english­ football's most­­­ successful­ club has come to an­ end. They now share­­­ that claim with­ Manchester­ United who yesterday­ equalled­ Liverpool's total of­ winning the­ league­­­ championship 18 times, if you­ include the­ F.A. Cup­ & the Football League Cup­ then­ Manchester United­ are now the most successful­ team in­ english football AND THAT'S A FACT! This is­­ Manchester United's 11th­­ premier league­ title­­ and with the dazzling array of­­ youthful talent­ at­­ Old Trafford there are many more­­ titles to come.­­­ Indeed a new era has begun with a­ fresh­ and­ youthful­­ team ready to challenge for honours­ for­­ years to­­ come. As for their main challengers this­­­ season;­­ Liverpool, Rafael Benitez (their manager)­ will­­ have­­ to dismantle his team and start again­ next season­­ as­­ his current squad is simply not good­ enough . . . AND­­ THAT'S A FACT TOO! BELIEVE.
    . ­ . . . ­ . . . . ­ . . . . ­ . . . ­ . . .

    From Mmmm000se, on Mon 18 May 1:25AM

  2. All in good fun Andy and who would blame us, it's­ been a long time coming and we love to rib the kopites­ lol and that's wot makes us scousers better. Been­ nice chatting Andy, this its time to get some shut eye.­ See you on here again!!

    From helenbartley310, on Mon 18 May 1:24AM

  3. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show
    Will you­ thick Scouse muppets get it right. Manchester­ United­ have been trying to match Liverpool's 18­ League­ wins for 36 years, not 20 years as most of you­ dimwits­ are saying. United have been playing catch up­ since­ Liverpool won their 8th in 1973 - that's 36­ years­ ago! Got it! God, call yourselves football fans!­ you­ don't even know your own clubs history!!! but­ the­ truth is this is an end of an era, start of a new­ era.­ Liverpool FC's­­­ 36 year reign as english­­ football's most­­ successful­ club has come to an­­ end. They now share­­ that claim with­ Manchester­­ United who yesterday equalled­ Liverpool's total­ of­ winning the league­­­ championship 18 times, if­ you­ include the F.A. Cup­ & the Football League­ Cup­ then Manchester United­ are now the most­ successful­ team in english football AND THAT'S A­ FACT! This is­ Manchester United's 11th­­ premier­ league­ title­ and with the dazzling array of­­­ youthful talent­ at­ Old Trafford there are many more­­­ titles to come.­­ Indeed a new era has begun with a­­ fresh­ and youthful­­ team ready to challenge for­ honours­ for­ years to­­ come. As for their main­ challengers this­­ season;­­ Liverpool, Rafael Benitez­ (their manager) will­­ have­­ to dismantle his team and­ start again next season­­ as­­ his current squad is­ simply not good enough . . . AND­­ THAT'S A FACT­ TOO! BELIEVE.

    From Mmmm000se, on Mon 18 May 1:18AM

  4. HELEN thanks ha ha but the rest of em will be rubbing­ it in and rightly so but hope u do win and them­ southerners win nowt (like us)lol

    From andrew, on Mon 18 May 1:18AM

  5. ASSASSIN r u staying overnight or coming back after­ game?i do hope its a corker of a game a better 1 than­ last year

    From andrew, on Mon 18 May 1:16AM

  6. Now that's a tall order Andy lol, but if we do win,­ I will probably be drunk for a few days and won't­ have time to get on here lol so I think you will be­ ok!!

    From helenbartley310, on Mon 18 May 1:07AM

  7. helen i hope u do win the fa cup but dont wanna see u­ on here bragging that ur the only team in the city to­ win silverware this season couldnt handle it with wot­ man u could achieve lol lol

    From andrew, on Mon 18 May 1:02AM

  8. FACK AFF TAY THON HOT PLAS

    From donneysbeck, on Mon 18 May 1:02AM

  9. andy, thanks mate

    From the silent assassin, on Mon 18 May 12:59AM

  10. ASSASSIN didnt mean it in a nasty way it was an honest­ reply i meant wot i said just hope them roma thugs dont­ spoil a great occasion ENJOY!!!!!!

    From andrew, on Mon 18 May 12:59AM

  11. I am quite astonished by the lack of neutrality in this­ match report.

    "On 59 minutes, Menseguez was­ fortunately adjudged onside when played through by­ Robert Koren. He could have shot but chose to square it­ for Fortune, whose failure to attack the ball gave­ Lucas Leiva the chance to make a goal-saving­ tackle."

    Would this be the same "goal-saving­ tackle" where Lucas took the man from behind, got­ none of the ball, and left everybody that saw the game,­ including Liverpool and Baggies fans alike in a state­ of disbelief that no penalty was given.

    Big 4 Bias? Or­ sloppy journalism?

    Hmm...2-0 Liverpool; I'll just­ fill in the blanks!

    From Andrew Barnes, on Mon 18 May 12:55AM

  12. ASSASSIN didnt mean it in a nasty way it was an honest­ reply i meant wot i said just hope them roma thugs dont­ spoil a great occasion ENJOY!!!!!!

    From andrew, on Mon 18 May 12:54AM

  13. Not sure Arteta will be back for the final Andy, would­ dearly love him in the squad for it and pose a major­ threat for Chelsea Rent Boys! His injury was a major­ blow and has been sorely missed!!!!!!!!

    From helenbartley310, on Mon 18 May 12:51AM

  14. sahladine, u have the money but ur manager buys the­ wrong players...FACT

    From the silent assassin, on Mon 18 May 12:51AM

  15. only going for the game, nothing else matters

    From the silent assassin, on Mon 18 May 12:49AM

  16. keaneyestudios, You said I was a Man U hater not me.­ Ijust tsaid liverpool don't have enough money to­ have a bench like Man U. This has been said before. I­ just feel as if Gerrard Alonso & Torres are the­ best in the world . You probably feel the same about­ Rooney Ronaldo & Vidic. Congratulations!!

    From Sahladine L, on Mon 18 May 12:48AM

  17. benitez is a clone of manuel, he knows NOTHING

    From the silent assassin, on Mon 18 May 12:45AM

  18. yes losing arteta was a blow for u will he be back 4­ final?

    From andrew, on Mon 18 May 12:44AM

  19. ASSASSIN NICE ONE HAVE A GOOD TIME OUT THERE AND KEEP­ SAFE.KNOW WOT THEM IDIOTIC ROMA COWARDS R LIKE

    From andrew, on Mon 18 May 12:44AM

  20. Great year for LFC, won at Old Trafford & sent West­ Brom down. Yawn!!

    From davemoore599, on Mon 18 May 12:42AM
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