Rampant Liverpool in the mood to punish West Brom

It will have been galling for Liverpool fans that, despite the great strides made by the club this season, management were unable to convince the players they wanted to bring in during the January transfer window that Anfield was the place to be.

But that blow will have been softened by the cushion of a wonderful 4-0 triumph over Merseyside rivals Everton in midweek, a result that not only gives the red half of the city bragging rights until the next time, but also gives them vital breathing space over one of their chief rivals for a Champions League spot.

With Manchester City (4/6) now turning up the heat at the top of the Premier League table, it might be asking a bit much for Liverpool (12/1), seven points behind them, to win the top title for the first time since 1980.

But they are in a strong position as far as Champions League qualification (4/6 with Coral) is concerned, three points ahead of Spurs (3/1), four ahead of Everton (7/1) and, probably most significantly, six clear of Manchester United (2/1).

The last thing they will want is to spoil all the good work by slipping up at West Brom on Sunday lunchtime.

The Baggies have a better defensive record than most in the bottom half of the table, their two notable blemishes coming when Liverpool stuck four past them at Anfield in October (including a Luis Suarez hat-trick) and when Aston Villa beat them 4-3 in a crazy game in midweek.

With Suarez (4/5 to score again) and Daniel Sturridge (5/4) looking to fill their boots at every opportunity and add to the 36 goals they have already scored between them this season, this is not a good time for West Brom to start leaking at the back.

They have enough trouble at the other end at the moment with Shane Long gone and Nicolas Anelka and Stephane Sessegnon injured.

New boss Pepe Mel will have been encouraged when he looked through West Brom’s back catalogue that they managed to beat Man United at Old Trafford earlier in the season, but there have been far more downs than ups for the midlands club since then and they are now lie perilously close to the relegation zone (Coral go 11/2 they go down).

West Brom perhaps have a bit more about them than enough of their relegation rivals to escape the drop, but with two of their next three home games against Chelsea and Man United it might well get worse before it gets better.