Liverpool were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion on Sunday at Anfield.
Semi Ajayi scored a late equaliser to cancel out Sadio Mane‘s first-half opener as Liverpool failed to open up a five-point lead at the top.
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Liverpool also suffered another injury concern when Joel Matip limped off with a groin injury in the second half.
West Brom earned their first point under new boss Sam Allardyce but remain in the relegation zone.
It also snapped Liverpool’s seven-game winning streak at home as Allardyce, beaten 3-0 by Aston Villa on his debut last Sunday, reinvigorated West Brom’s hopes of avoiding relegation from the top flight.
Liverpool dominated possession from the first minute and opened the scoring after 12 minutes when Matip clipped the ball into Mane who chested it down and rifled a shot past West Brom goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.
After the goal, the hosts failed to muster many clear cut chances but fullbacks Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold provided a constant threat with their crosses into the box.
By half-time, Liverpool had enjoyed 87% possession and no West Brom player had completed more than eight passes.
The visitors provided a better threat in the second half and were given a boost after Matip limped off after 59 minutes.
Liverpool continued to be frustrated and West Brom almost grabbed an equaliser when Karlan Grant was put through but Alisson blocked his shot
West Brom grabbed their equaliser after 82 minutes when Ajayi headed in from Matheus Pereira‘s cross.
Roberto Firmino missed a 90th-minute chance to snatch a win for Liverpool as Johnstone somehow clawed out his downward close-range header and turned it around the post.
“When you go slack you get what you deserve,” Robertson told Sky Sports. “When you come up against a Sam Allardyce team you know they will stay in it and take the one chance they get.
“We created chances in the first half and then in the second half it was as if we didn’t want to do it again. Every one of us made a mistake in the second half which can’t happen.
“We will take the point and move on. We can’t dwell on it but it’s a huge disappointment.”
