West Brom vs. Liverpool: Winners and Losers from Premier League
Liverpool ruined Steven Gerrard's 500th league appearance by playing to a drab 0-0 draw with West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns on Saturday afternoon.
The two sides combined for 32 shots, but only nine found the target during a game in which Liverpool controlled 74 percent of the possession.
Neither team lost any ground in the English Premier League table because of the result. Liverpool remain in fifth, while West Brom are seven points clear of the bottom three in 13th position.
Here are the winners and losers from the goalless draw at The Hawthorns.
Winner: Boaz Myhill
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Saturday was not a difficult day for either goalkeeper, but West Brom's Boaz Myhill did make a few key denials in the second half.
In the 56th minute, Myhill knocked away successive shots from Jordan Henderson and Philippe Coutinho during one of Liverpool's most dangerous attacks of the match.
Myhill also found himself in the right position in the 78th minute, when Gerrard sent a shot toward the near post. The West Brom 'keeper's save looked easy because he read the attempt to perfection.
The three major plays made by Myhill at The Hawthorns allowed the Baggies some breathing room, as they kept themselves away from the mess at the bottom of the table.
Loser: Mario Balotelli
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Why always you, Mario Balotelli?
Well, we continue to pick on you because you haven't produced for Liverpool in the final third at all this season.
Balotelli's inefficiency was consistent across the board Saturday, as he produced zero shots on target, one key pass and a 71 percent pass accuracy in the goalless draw.
The performance was exactly what the Reds did not need in their attempt to put their FA Cup heartbreak behind them.
Based off what we saw at The Hawthorns, Balotelli might not see the starting lineup for the rest of the season.
Winner: Dejan Lovren
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One often-criticized member of the Liverpool squad who did deliver a solid showing on Saturday afternoon was Dejan Lovren.
Although he did not face a massive threat in the final third from the Baggies, Lovren made all the plays he was supposed to make. In a drab affair like this one, that is seen as a positive.
Lovren's biggest contribution came in the 64th minute, when he cleaned up a mess created by Martin Skrtel. The Croatian center-back cleared a James Morrison header off the line after Skrtel muffed a clearance right in front of the Liverpool net.
If the Reds can find any positives to come out of the draw, one of them has to be the impressive 90-minute shift put in by Lovren.
Loser: Craig Gardner
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Craig Gardner's lackluster passing day perfectly summed up the timeline of events at The Hawthorns.
Gardner found space moving forward on the right wing, but when it came time for him to deliver an accurate ball, his crossing failed him.
The midfielder set the tone for his awful day in the sixth minute, when he looped a ball far over the head of Victor Anichebe.
If he delivered a few accurate crosses, West Brom may have earned a chance to test Simon Mignolet in the Liverpool net over the course of 90 minutes.
Winner: Tony Pulis
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As boring as the scoreless draw was, it handed West Brom a much-needed point in the race to stay alive in the top flight.
Although the Baggies sit 13th in the league table on 37 points, their safety has not yet been confirmed. Their place in the league will be put into question over the next four matches, as Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal await on the schedule.
The one bit of reprieve in the schedule comes in the form of Newcastle United on May 9. If West Brom earn three points from that match, they will reach the 40-point threshold most teams attempt to hit to stave off relegation.
Because of the need for a point, manager Tony Pulis set his team up for a draw Saturday. The Baggies remained organized for 90 minutes and handed themselves a bit of confidence heading into their trip to Old Trafford.
Without a stout defensive performance at home on Saturday, West Brom could have dropped into the danger zone with a loss to United.
Loser: Saido Berahino
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Saido Berahino provided the West Brom defense with little respite throughout his 75 minutes on the pitch.
The young English forward made 15 touches and failed to challenge Mignolet with a shot in the final third. To put that into perspective, Balotelli touched the ball 32 times despite his bad day at the office.
Berahino's most notable involvement almost cost his side, as he fouled Balotelli just outside the 18-yard box in the 26th minute. Luckily for the West Brom forward, Gerrard missed the top left corner of the net by a few feet.
If West Brom are to reach the 40-point mark in the next two weeks, Berahino must become more active in the attacking half of the pitch.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
All statistics obtained from WhoScored.com.
