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It was two years to the day since Liverpool last drew with West Brom at Anfield.

On that occasion Jurgen Klopp and his players held hands and took a bow in front of the Kop. The Reds boss was ecstatic after Divock Origi's dramatic last-gasp equaliser.

This time a share of the spoils against the Baggies was greeted in very different fashion. Applause was conspicuous by its absence.

There was no polishing this one, no clinging to positives. Liverpool fell a long way short of their recent high standards on a dour night at Anfield.

The Reds endured the hangover from hell in the wake of last weekend's derby day frustration against Everton.

Both on the pitch and in the stands lethargy ruled. So much for rotation and fresh legs ensuring that momentum would be maintained.

Instead just when it looked like Liverpool had hit peak form, they have stumbled. Four points have been thrown away and they have lost their place in the top four.

Liverpool's performance against West Brom was as flat as the atmosphere as Alan Pardew's strugglers escaped with the point they came for.

It was the first time the Reds had fired blanks since the visit of Manchester United two months ago.

After the final whistle Klopp was deep in conversation with referee Paul Tierney, who was booed off after disallowing Dominic Solanke's late goal for handball.

Just like against Everton, a big decision had gone against Liverpool. Tierney gave the goal initially before taking the advice of his assistant.

Klopp's anger was understandable given the circumstances, but there was no injustice here.

The ball bounced off Solanke's chest and on to his arm before flying past Ben Foster. The manic celebrations were curtailed. The England striker's wait for a first Liverpool goal goes on.

There was also no point bemoaning West Brom's negativity. They were always going to park the bus. It was down to Klopp's men to find a way around it but there was little spark or guile.

You've got more chance of getting five numbers and the bonus ball than predicting a Liverpool starting XI at the moment.

Having vowed to keep on rotating after controversially resting Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino for the Merseyside derby, Klopp unleashed all of his Fab Four against the lowly Baggies.

Firmino led the line with Mohamed Salah for company with Coutinho on the left and Sadio Mane on the right of a potent looking 4-4-2.

The fresh legs of Emre Can and Gini Wijnaldum in midfield had been anticipated, less so Loris Karius' recall in goal.

Simon Mignolet had been nursing an ankle problem since Sunday but was available for selection and desperate to play.

Instead the Belgian was consigned to bench duty as Karius made only his second league appearance in the space of 12 months.

The opening 45 minutes were instantly forgettable. Liverpool were way off the pace.

West Brom got 10 men behind the ball and challenged the hosts to break them down. The Reds enjoyed 70% possession in the first half but did precious little with it.

There was an alarming lack of creativity and composure in midfield as the central axis of Can and Wijnaldum failed to fire.

The one golden chance Liverpool created was spurned. Salah did brilliantly to dart away from Jonny Evans and whip a glorious cross to the back post, but somehow Firmino turned it wide.

(Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

For the most part, the Reds' build up play was far too ponderous. They allowed the Baggies to get organised. It needed to be slicker and quicker.

West Brom grew in confidence and Hal Robson-Kanu struck the top of the bar with a dipping 25-yarder.

Karius had that covered but the German keeper endured some uncertain moments. Some of his distribution left much to be desired and he felt the wrath of the Kop behind him.

Coutinho skipped inside before hammering a right-footer straight at Foster before Trent Alexander-Arnold's quality cross just eluded the on-rushing Salah.

Building momentum wasn't easy with the Baggies slowing proceedings down at every opportunity. Foster's time wasting was cynical.

On the one occasion that Liverpool did find some fluency just before the break a lightning quick counter broke down.

Salah shrugged off Jake Livermore and released Coutinho, whose lofted pass picked out Mane. The winger tried to guide it into the path of Salah but his touch let him down.

Liverpool were horribly sloppy early in the second half as passes went astray and they were fortunate not to fall behind.

Karius misjudged Grzegorz Krychowiak's free-kick and ended up turning it over the bar. He quickly atoned by reacting well to keep out Claudio Yacob's near post header.

(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Another let-off when Ahmed Hegazi powered a header over the bar belatedly brought Klopp's men to life.

Changing to 4-3-3 helped with Coutinho more involved in a central role as Salah moved out to the right.

For a man who scored twice in the Champions League rout of Spartak Moscow a week earlier, Mane looked strangely out of sorts and devoid of confidence.

Maybe that bad miss against Everton was still playing on his mind. He should have banished that memory when he latched on to Firmino's pull back, but sliced it wastefully wide.

Alexander-Arnold did his best to lift the tempo as the teenager tore down the right and provided some impressive service.

However, the young full-back's efforts went unrewarded as Salah headed past the post and then Firmino failed to convert.

With 14 minutes to go Klopp finally summoned reinforcements with Solanke and Oxlade-Chamberlain on for Mane and Wijnaldum.

Solanke thought he had broken the deadlock when Hegazi turned Joe Gomez's cross against him, but his joy proved shortlived.

Foster then saved at the feet of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as Hegazi hacked Solanke's effort off the line.

It far all too little, far too late.

MATCH FACTS

Liverpool: Karius, Alexander-Arnold (Gomez 80), Klavan, Lovren, Robertson, Wijnaldum (Oxlade-Chamberlain 76), Can, Coutinho, Mane (Solanke 76), Salah, Firmino.

Not used: Mignolet, Milner, Henderson, Ings.

West Brom: Foster, Nyom, Hegazi, Evans, Gibbs, Robson-Kanu (Rodriguez 71), Livermore, Yacob, Krychowiak (Brunt 79), McClean, Rondon.

Not used: Myhill, Burke, McAuley, Field, Ferguson.

Referee: Paul Tierney

Attendance: 53,243

Goals: none.

Bookings: Can

Man of the match: Trent Alexander-Arnold. Kept fighting throughout.