34′ [1 - 0] R. Keane
43′ [2 - 0] R. Keane
90′ [3 - 0] A. Arbeloa

A Robbie Keane first-half brace and goal from Arbeloa in second-half stoppage time sent Liverpool back to the top of the table after a comfortable 3-0 win over West Brom...

Liverpool had the chance to return to the top of the Premier League when they hosted West Bromwich Albion this evening. They were also looking to bounce back from the 2-1 defeat away at Tottenham Hotspur last weekend and were boosted by the presence of Fernando Torres on the bench.

West Brom were looking to climb out of the relegation zone after dropping to second-bottom recently, having gone four games without a win. In goal, Scott Carson was looking to keep a clean sheet against his former employers.

First Half

West Brom got off to a decent start at Anfield, putting together some good passing moves, but they lacked any real cutting- edge. Greening had a good chance to pick out a West Brom head with a free-kick in the seventh minute, but his ball into the box evaded everybody and was easily cleared.

Liverpool's first real attack came in the 12th minute when Kuyt picked out Arbeloa down the right-hand side and after his cross was cleared by Olsson on the second attempt, the ball fell to Mascherano who nudged it forward to Keane, but the Irishman failed to trouble Scott Carson.

Benayoun had a fantastic opportunity to put Liverpool ahead just before the half-hour mark after the ball was worked to him on the right hand side of the penalty area, but his shot was foiled first by Carson and then seemingly off the arm of Olsson.

Liverpool broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute when Steven Gerrard's pass found Robbie Keane in space and he fantastically chipped Scott Carson.

Keane bagged his brace and doubled Liverpool's lead in the 43rd minute when Aurelio broke forward with the ball down the left-hand side of the pitch after a West Brom corner. He played the ball forward to Keane who rounded Carson brilliantly on the edge of the area before comfortably slotting home to make it 2-0.

Second Half

The second half began in similar fashion to the first with both sides enjoying spells of possession, but Liverpool looking much more threatening than West Brom, who never really looked like scoring.

Ishmail Miller found himself in plenty of space inside the Liverpool box when a long ball forward flew past a static Daniel Agger, but the West Brom forward was let down by a poor touch and Reina easily collected the loose ball.

West Brom manager Tony Mowbray introduced Chris Brunt to the game in the 70th minute, who made an immediate impact as his first touch of the ball was a free-kick which just went wide of the upright.

Fernando Torres came on for Robbie Keane in the 71st minute but had to wait until the 79th minute to get his first shot at goal which came from just outside the area, but never really troubled Scott Carson.

Arbeloa added a third goal for Liverpool in the third minute of stoppage-time when Kuyt found him inside the penalty area and the Spaniard's left-footed curler nestled into the top left-hand corner of the West Brom goal.

Line-Ups:

Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Agger, Carragher, Aurelio, Benayoun, Mascherano, Gerrard (Alonso 79), Riera (Babel 65), Keane (Torres 71), Kuyt
Subs: Cavalieri, Hyypia, Insua, El Zhar

West Brom: Carson, Zuiverloon, Olsson, Donk, Robinson, Koren, Valero, Greening, Kim (Filipe Teixeira 55), Bednar (Moore 55), Miller (Brunt 70)
Subs: Kiely, Hoefkens, Dorrans, Pele

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