West Bromwich Albion v Liverpool [Premier League]

Match preview

Pepe Mel goes in search of his first win as West Bromwich Albion head coach when his side host Liverpool on Sunday. The Spaniard has overseen a 1-1 home draw with Everton and a 4-3 defeat by neighbours Aston Villa since being appointed as Steve Clarke's successor on January 10.

Wednesday's reverse at Villa Park came despite West Brom racing into a 2-0 lead inside the opening 10 minutes. Mel will be hoping that his defence can withstand better in the face of Liverpool, who are the Barclays Premier League's second-top scorers with 57 goals from 23 matches this season.

Four of those goals came as Brendan Rodgers' side recorded a convincing 4-0 victory over Merseyside rivals Everton on Tuesday, which gave them a three-point cushion over Tottenham Hotspur in the race for fourth place.

Luis Suarez was again on target in that match, scoring his 23rd goal in just his 18th Barclays Premier League appearance of the season, while Daniel Sturridge notched twice to take his tally to five in four matches since returning from an ankle injury. Suarez and Sturridge have established themselves as the Barclays Premier League's most prolific strikeforce this season, accounting for 36 of Liverpool's 57 strikes.

West Brom will need to contain the pair better than at Anfield in October when Suarez's hat-trick and a sublime Sturridge lob inspired Liverpool to a 4-1 win on that occasion.

Rodgers' team head to The Hawthorns with five wins and a draw from their past six matches in all competitions in 2014, while West Brom, who are winless in four since their 1-0 victory over Newcastle United on New Year's Day.

Liverpool are set to be boosted by the return of Joe Allen from an abductor problem, although Glen Johnson (various injuries), Mamadou Sakho (hamstring), Daniel Agger (calf) as well as Lucas Leiva and Jose Enrique (both knee), remain sidelined. West Brom will be without former Liverpool striker Nicolas Anelka, who suffered a gashed knee at Villa, and Stephane Sessegnon (groin).

West Brom (from): Daniels, Foster, Myhill, Dawson, Jones, Lugano, McAuley, Olsson, Popov, Reid, Ridgewell, Amalfitano, Brunt, Dorrans, Gera, Morrison, Mulumbu, Yacob, Anichebe, Berahino, Rosenberg, Sinclair, Vydra.

Liverpool (from): Jones, Mignolet, Cissokho, Flanagan, Kelly, Skrtel, Toure, Alberto, Allen, Gerrard, Henderson, Ibe, Lucas, Aspas, Coutinho, Moses, Sterling, Sturridge, Suarez.

Match Appointments
Referee: Kevin Friend. Assistants: R West, A Holmes. Fourth Official: L Mason.

Attached Images

• West_Bromwich_Albion.svg.jpg (7.6 KB)
• 180px-Liverpool_FC.svg.jpg (11.8 KB)