Liverpool's quest for a Champions League place has been dented this afternoon as they were held to goalless draw by West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.
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The hosts were the first team to apply pressure as they won a free kick deep in the Liverpool half. The ball fell into the path of Craig Gardner, whose strike from distance went wide of the target.
Brendan Rodgers's side managed to win a corner to push the Baggies back, and, although the first ball into the box was cleared, another cross was headed on by Martin Skrtel, but the ball fell agonisingly out of the reach of Mario Balotelli at the back post.
Liverpool continued to exert pressure on the West Brom goal as they won a free kick just outside the box. Steven Gerrard took it, but his strike went inches over the crossbar.
In the second half, the Reds upped the ante and Philippe Coutinho almost found a way to goal when he drilled a strike towards the net from the edge of the area, but Boaz Myhill beat his effort away.
West Brom attempted to hit the visitors on the counter as Chris Brunt picked out the run of Gardner, who had been allowed space to attack by Glen Johnson, but his shot from distance sailed over the crossbar.
Liverpool pressed to get into the lead and came within inches of finding the net when Jordon Ibe played a one-two with Balotelli to raid into the box, only to see his subsequent strike clatter off the crossbar and over.
The end-to-end nature of the game continued when a cross was whipped into the box by Brunt and Skrtel's clearance landed only as far as James Morrison, who looped a header over Simon Mignolet which Dejan Lovren did well to clear off the line.
Both teams pushed for a winner late in the match, but were forced to settle for a point apiece.
Simon Sinclair
