Overdue equalizer earns West Brom 1-1 draw at Liverpool
A later header by Semi Ajayi earned struggling West Bromwich Albion a shock 1-1 Premier League pull at champions and leaders Liverpool on Sunday as the defender cancelled out Sadio Mane's early opener for the home side.
The effect left Liverpool on 32 points from 15 games, three ahead of second-placed Everton. West Bromwich stayed 19th on eight points but their spirited fightback will have given new boss Sam Allardyce a great deal to cheer about.
It also snapped Liverpool's seven-game winning streak at home seeing that Allardyce, beaten 3-0 by Aston Villa on his debut last Sunday, reinvigorated West Brom's expectations of avoiding relegation from the most notable flight.
Liverpool left back Andy Robertson acknowledged Liverpool didn't deserve to win after an unhealthy second-half performance.
"When you are slack you get everything you deserve," he told Sky Sports. "When you come up against a Sam Allardyce group you understand they will stay in it and consider the one chance they get.
"We created chances in the first one half and then in the next 1 / 2 it was as though we didn't wish to accomplish it again. All of us manufactured a mistake in the second one half which can't happen.
"We will have the point and maneuver on. We can not dwell onto it but it's an enormous disappointment." Liverpool laid siege to the Baggies from the off and it was no surprise that Mane netted in the 12th minute when he chested down a deep Joel Matip pass and swept the ball earlier goalkeeper Sam Johnstone from 10 metres.
Mane came near to adding another midway through the initial fifty percent when he headed wide from close spectrum after a good Jordan Henderson cross before Mohamed Salah volleyed inches above the bar from the border of the penalty spot.
West Brom arrived with more purpose after the break and Karlan Grant had a good sitter saved by Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker before Nigerian centre back Ajayi struck in the 82nd minute against the subdued hosts.
Liverpool conceded a sloppy part and were punished seeing that Matheus Pereira floated found in a wonderful cross from the right and Ajayi rose over Fabinho to send a looping header in to the back of the web off the post.
Roberto Firmino missed a 90th-minute chance to snatch a win for Liverpool as Johnstone somehow clawed out his downward close-collection header and turned it around the content.
