Liverpool dumped out of FA Cup despite VAR assistance
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ByEurosport
Updated 27/01/2018 at 22:50 GMT
FA Cup fourth round, Anfield – Liverpool 2 (Firmino 6’ Salah 78’) West Bromwich Albion 3 (Rodriguez 7’ 11’, Matip 45’ og)
Sadio Mane of Liverpool complains to the match referee Craig Pawson
Image credit: Getty Images
West Bromwich Albion dumped Liverpool out of the FA Cup with a 3-2 win at Anfield – despite VAR intervening twice to assist the hosts.
Referee Craig Pawson ruled out a Craig Dawson goal, awarded the Reds a penalty and delayed West Brom's third goal after consulting VAR.
Roberto Firmino’s spectacular lob after six minutes gave Liverpool an early advantage, but it was only the start of the excitement in an extraordinary first half.
Only 63 seconds later Jay Rodriguez levelled for the visitors with a fine strike and the Englishman grabbed a quick-fire double in the 11th minute as West Brom took the lead.
Dawson thought he had West Brom’s third when he headed in from a corner, but Pawson ruled the goal out after checking with VAR, with Gareth Barry found to be standing in an offside position.
Then Mohamed Salah was caught by Jake Livermore inside the area and again Pawson used VAR to award a penalty, but only after a three-minute delay. Firmino smashed the resulting spot-kick at the crossbar to add to the drama.
The Baggies managed to extend their lead in first half injury-time when Joel Matip inadvertently steered Dawson’s cross into his own net, but once more Pawson asked for the help of VAR to determine if the defender was offside before signalling for a goal.
The second period was much less eventful, at least until Mohamed Salah netted his 25th goal of the season to set up a tense climax, but West Brom held on to seal their place in the last 16 of the competition.
TALKING POINT
VAR steals the headlines: VAR ensured the correct decisions were made at key moments in the game, but it also undoubtedly stopped the flow of the game and the supporters within the stadium hadn't any idea what was going on. A delay of three minutes is much too long, but then again VAR is in its infancy and it will take some time for the authorities to get it right.
The pros and cons of VAR will dominate post-match articles, but Liverpool’s shambolic defence shouldn't be overlooked. Even with £75m-rated Virgil Van Dijk, the Reds still look chaotic at the back and for the third consecutive year they exit the competition at the fourth round. The FA Cup was a realistic trophy for Liverpool to claim, and this result - their second straight defeat after the 1-0 loss to Swansea in the Premier League - could prove damaging to Jurgen Klopp's side.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Jay Rodriguez (West Brom): The 28-year-old was at the heart of every West Brom attack and more than deserved his brace. Is it enough to warrant a place in the England squad? Gareth Southgate will certainly have been impressed with his performance.
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Jay Rodríguez (FC Liverpool vs. West Bromwich Albion)
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
Liverpool: Mignolet 5, Alexander-Arnold 6, Matip 5, Van Dijk 5, Moreno 5, Can 5, Wijnaldum 5, Oxlade-Chamberlain 7, Mane 6, Salah 6, Firmino 7. Subs: Ings 6, Milner 6, Henderson 5.
West Brom: Foster 8, Nyom 7, Evans 6, Dawson 8, Gibbs 6, Krychowiak 6, Barry 8, Livermore 7, Robson-Kanu 6, Brunt 7, Rodgriguez 9. Subs: Yacob 5, Phillips 6, Hegazi 7.
KEY MOMENTS
6’ - GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 West Brom (Firmino): Firmino opens the scoring with a splendid lob over Foster! Evans hesitates to clear a back pass, allowing Salah to steal possession. His shot is saved, but the follow-up falls to Firmino who lifts the ball over the West Brom goalkeeper from 15 yards.
7’ - GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 West Brom (Rodriguez): 68 seconds later, West Brom are level! And what a strike by Rodriguez, who was a doubt coming into this game as he was struggling with the flu. He rifles the ball into the top corner, past Mignolet from 20 yards, giving the Liverpool goalkeeper no chance.
11’ - GOAL! Liverpool 1-2 West Brom (Rodriguez): It's that man Rodriguez again! Two goals in four minutes for the West Brom striker! Krchowiak does brilliantly in the centre of the park, riding Can's challenge and spreading the ball wide to Gibbs. The wing-back picks out Rodriguez with a pin-point pass, leaving him with a simple tap-in.
20’ - GOAL RULED OUT – VAR IN USE! Dawson heads home from a corner delivery and West Brom are celebrating a third... but wait, the referee Craig Pawson has asked to consult with VAR ... and the goal is ruled out! It seems Barry was standing in an offside position as the cross came in.
23’ – PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL! Confusion as Salah goes down inside the area under the challenge from Livermore and again Craig Pawson consults VAR... Will he award a penalty? Yes, after some delay - over three minutes - Craig Pawson points to the spot.... Barry is booked for his protests.
26’ - PENALTY MISSED! Dear me, Firmino strikes the crossbar with his penalty! Foster dived the right way but was getting nowhere near it, but he's saved by the woodwork.
45’+ 2 - GOAL! Liverpool 1-3 West Brom (Matip, own goal 45): Dawson latches onto a ball over the top and volleys a delivery across the face of goal, it strikes Matip who turns the ball into his own net. Once again, Pawson checks with VAR to determine if Dawson was offside but this time the goal is given.
78’ - GOAL! Liverpool 2-3 West Brom (Salah, 78): It's a scrappy goal, but Liverpool won't care. Alexander-Arnold's cross strikes his team mate Firmino, it falls kindly into the path of Salah who slots it home from close range. Game on!
KEY STATS
- Liverpool have been eliminated in the fourth round of the FA Cup in all three seasons under Jurgen Klopp.
- West Brom are the first away team to score three first half goals at Anfield since Real Madrid in October 2014
- Liverpool conceded three goals in consecutive home games for the first time since January 2007
- Liverpool hosted West Brom for the fourth occasion in the FA Cup, with the Reds yet to defeat their Midlands opponents (D2 L2).
- Since a run of five successive FA Cup wins at Anfield between January 2012 and January 2014, Liverpool have won just two of their last eight (D4 L2), winning in the third round this season against Everton.
- West Brom have picked up three wins and a draw in their last four competitive matches - this follows a 21-game winless run in all competitions (W0 D10 L11).
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