Liverpool vs West Bromwich Albion. Premier League.
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Liverpool v West Brom preview: Adam Lallana not in contention after training return
Wednesday 13 December 2017 18:39, UK
Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana has returned to full training but he will not be in contention to face West Brom.
Manager Jurgen Klopp is set to make changes again, however, with Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino due to start having been rested at the weekend.
So far Klopp made 59 changes to his starting 11 this season; only Manchester United in 2002 have made more in Premier League history at this stage of the campaign.
"If we had the squad last year we would have done it last year," said Klopp. "For all these games I really think if we have the quality in the squad that we have we have to use it."
If the Baggies fail to win at Liverpool on Wednesday it would stretch their winless run to 16 games in all competitions, the longest in their 139-year history.
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Albion are only above the Premier League relegation zone on goal difference after Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Swansea. They have not won since August and have conceded seven goals in the final 16 minutes of games to lose 12 points this season.
Team news
Along with Lallana, defenders Joel Matip (muscle injury) and Alberto Moreno (ankle) will also miss the game with a number of other players carrying knocks from Sunday's Merseyside derby.
Craig Dawson could return for West Brom after missing the last seven games. The defender has been out with a knee problem but is back in training and may replace Allan Nyom after Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Swansea.
Chris Brunt recovered from a thigh injury to feature in Wales but Gareth Barry (thigh), James Morrison (Achilles) and Nacer Chadli (hip) remain sidelined while Matt Phillips is a doubt with a hamstring problem.
Opta stats
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last eight Premier League games against West Brom (W4 D4), having lost the previous three in a row before that.
However, having won their first nine Premier League games in a row against the Baggies, Liverpool have won just five of the subsequent 13 (D4 L4).
West Brom have scored at least once in their last six league visits to Anfield (W2 D1 L3), netting eight goals in total. Their previous eight goals at Liverpool came over a period of 22 games, in which they failed to score 14 times.
West Brom have their lowest points tally after 16 games of a Premier League season since 2008-09 (12); winning 13 of a possible 48 so far this season.
Merson's prediction
West Brom haven't got going have they? It is all well and good coming in and saying that they are going to be playing front-foot football, but they have to produce. At Swansea they were really poor. Two games, no goals.
I can't see anything but a Liverpool win, they will be fuming after Sunday. It is a very, very soft penalty. If you give that you have to give 50 penalties a game. They'll have too much for West Brom though.
Paul predicts: 3-0 (11/2 with Sky Bet)
Betting
Liverpool are among Sky Bet's bankers of the night at 1/5 as West Brom go up against odds of 12/1 to win and 11/2 for a draw. Mohamed Salah heads the goalscorer betting and is enhanced from 11/4 to 7/2 to net first in Sky Bet's Price Boosts, while Salomon Rondon is considered the visitors' main threat at 10/1 to net first.
There's another £250,00 up for grabs in Wednesday night's Super 6 after the jackpot was landed in last Tuesday's round. Enter your predictions for free here.