Jurgen Klopp claps as Liverpool hit back

Liverpool 2 West Brom 2: The drama at Anfield continued through eight minutes of stoppage time and beyond. At full-time, the spectacle assumed an element of the surreal.

Liverpool had looked set for defeat at home to West Bromwich Albion, having fallen victim to two set-pieces during a match that had become increasingly bad-tempered.

Then, in the sixth minute of additional time, Divock Origi scored his first Premier League goal for Liverpool with a 25-yard shot that deflected in off the excellent Albion defender Gareth McAuley.

Jurgen Klopp responded as if he had just won the Champions League, the world heavyweight boxing title, and the Grand National all in one go. Liverpool’s manager, having confronted his West Brom counterpart Tony Pulis, punched the air three times, urging the home supporters to increase their volume.

It was, it seemed, the culmination of a dramatic afternoon that had turned sour with 15 minutes of regulation time to play, when Liverpool centre-back Dejan Lovren was carried off on a stretcher, having been caught on the knee by Albion midfielder Craig Gardner’s challenge. Lovren needed stitches for a cut, and will have a scan over the next couple of days to ascertain whether any damage has been done to the ligaments. Klopp was angry with the challenge, and let Pulis know it through the remainder of the match. At full-time, there was more to come. Klopp did not shake hands with Pulis, then became embroiled in a row with the Albion assistant head coach David Kemp.

The adrenaline still clearly pumping through his veins, Klopp then led his players towards the Kop in a line, forming the kind of salute normally reserved for teams who have just won trophies. It all seemed a bit much, really, for a league draw at home to West Brom in mid-December. It was, though, wonderful theatre.

Both managers acknowledged as much afterwards, playing down their confrontations and agreeing that Gardner actually got the ball first when challenging Lovren, injuring the centre-back with his follow through.

“I wanted to go to my team,” said Klopp, when asked why he had not shaken hands with Pulis at full-time.

“We had some words during the game. Sometimes it takes more than a few seconds to cool down. Usually I shake hands. I did not today, because it was not a friendly game. But I wish him all the best.”

Pulis, whose capacity for displaying passion during a match is equalled by his ability to shrug it off afterwards, appeared unperturbed by Klopp’s show of emotion following Origi’s equaliser.

“He is animated,” the West Brom head coach said. “I have been animated all my life on the bench. I have no problems with that. The big disappointment was they got that late goal.”

While Pulis was frustrated that his team could not see out victory, Klopp’s concern centred around his side’s vulnerability at set-pieces. Three times they were caught out by Albion; as it turned out, they were only punished twice because of one of the weekend’s more curious refereeing episodes. Liverpool’s defensive weaknesses surfaced after they had taken the lead with a lovely goal. Christian Benteke laid the ball back to Alberto Moreno, whose angled cross was headed down by Adam Lallana for Jordan Henderson to sweep in on the half-volley.

It was a sweet moment for the Liverpool captain, making his first league start since August after suffering two separate foot injuries during the early weeks of the season. What followed for Klopp’s side was defensive despair.

Craig Dawson equalised on the half-hour mark, poking in a loose ball after Simon Mignolet had banged into Benteke at a corner. It did not look good for Liverpool’s goalkeeper, although Klopp was quick to defend him.

“I said to Simon at half-time, that if somebody says it was his fault, it is not true — it is my fault,” the manager said. “I want a ‘keeper who comes out and tries for everything.” Jonas Olsson thought he had given West Brom the lead in first-half stoppage time, sneaking in round the back to volley in Gardner’s free-kick at the far post. Linesman Roger West did not raise his flag, but then alerted referee Craig Pawson. After a discussion between the two officials, the goal was ruled out for offside, and television replays proved it was the correct decision. The question was: How had they arrived at that decision?

“The big disappointment is the linesman never put his flag up,” Pulis said. “They tell me he is offside so why hasn’t he put his flag up? Instead, he’s dragged the referee 50 yards across to talk to him. We will speak to the officials on Monday to find out why that is.” Olsson was not to be denied a goal, though, flicking in Chris Brunt’s corner at the near post with 17 minutes left, shortly before Gardner’s challenge on Lovren angered Liverpool’s bench. It set the tone for the scenes that followed — and the most extraordinary of finishes.

LIVERPOOL:

Mignolet 5; Clyne 6, Skrtel 6, Lovren 6 (Origi 78, 6), Moreno 7; Can 6; Lallana 6 (Firmino 86), Milner 5, Henderson 7, Coutinho 7 (Ibe 71); Benteke 6.

Subs:

Bogdan, Toure, Lucas, Allen, Firmino.

WEST BROM:

Myhill 6; Dawson 7, McAuley 8, Olsson 7, Brunt 7; Evans 6; Gardner 6, Fletcher 6, Morrison 6, McClean 6; Rondon 6 (Lambert 90).

Subs:

Lindegaard, Chester, Gnabry, McManaman, Berahino, Anichebe.

Referee:

Craig Pawson – 5.

Attendance:

44,147.