Liverpool 3 Albion 0 - analysis

After a turbulent week at the Hawthorns, Albion must have reached Merseyside craving a spot of normality.

Well, be careful what you wish for. You might just get it. Normality was precisely what they got at Anfield. It was just as painful as ever, leaving Albion at the bottom of the league.

A week dominated by dodgy penalties and fiery debates over shares ended at the Baggies' least favourite Premier League destination.

While the approach was very different for Tony Mowbray's Baggies, the outcome was depressingly familiar for his team's supporters.

After Saturday, Albion's Premier League tally against the Reds still reads like a train wreck. Played seven, lost seven, scored none, conceded 22.

The routine defeat at the home of the current pace-setters was typical not just of the Baggies' fixtures with Liverpool. It also summed up their fortunes in three meetings with the league's top four this season.

They are 8-0 down on aggregate against Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool. There were few signs at Anfield that the trend is about to alter when Chelsea's superstars arrive at the Hawthorns on Saturday.

For the third successive time against Champions League opposition, Mowbray's men avoided being disgraced. Yet once again there was never any doubt that they would be defeated.

The classy third goal in the final moments from Alvaro Arbeloa was harsh on Albion, for whom the pleasing football of the opening half-hour was reminiscent of their better moments at the Emirates Stadium and Old Trafford.

Mowbray will stick doggedly to his ideals, whether it is Liverpool or Wigan in the opposite corner. By standing toe to toe with the 'big four' in footballing contests, his side are giving themselves no more than a puncher's chance.

The manager's conviction is that his side's superior football will enable them to rise above the muck and bullets of their 30 other matches to accumulate the points they need to avoid relegation.

It is their shortfall in those matches – not the defeats against the big boys – that has left them bottom of the Premier League as the table begins to take shape.

Two points dropped at Bolton, two more at home to Blackburn and at least one against Everton are the difference between a mid-table berth and their current unhealthy position.

When the millionaires of Stamford Bridge have been and gone next Saturday, a critical phase of the Baggies' season will begin with their manager knowing they must let no more genuine opportunities pass them by.

Saturday's game did not fall into that category, even though the undoubted talents in the Albion ranks offered a degree of hope in the early stages.

Possibly the most talented of all, Borja Valero, linked up well with Robert Koren on the right in the opening moments and then tried a lob over Daniel Agger's head that ran away from the willing Ishmael Miller.

For a while it was looking good for the Baggies. But, as supporters who have trodden this path before will testify, trouble is never too far away for a visiting side at Anfield.

Zuiverloon and Bednar get into trouble down the Albion right and Liverpool broke. They moved the ball to the edge of the box where Javier Mascherano fed Robbie Keane, whose shot was held by Carson.

Albion's best chance came and went on 18 minutes with Koren threading a ball in for Valero, but Jamie Carragher got a vital touch to prevent the Spaniard making a clean contact and the opening had gone.

Keane received the treatment that Baggies fans reserve for Wolves old-boys. The Irishman probably expected it, but his threat was obvious from an early stage.

Midway through the first half he produced a brilliant backheel for Fabio Aurelio, who crossed towards Dirk Kuyt but Jonas Olsson made a crucial interception.

By now the visitors were being pushed further back and when Liverpool broke at pace, Gerrard surged through the middle before feeding Benayoun. His shot was saved by Carson, before Olsson appeared to use his hand to help the ball behind.

Albion simply needed to get to half-time unscathed but their hopes were ended when Valero's crossfield ball was intercepted by Mascherano. Liverpool had the ball in the net within seconds.

The Argentine fed Gerrard, who slid a through-ball to the feet of Keane and his left-footed finish gave Carson no chance.

With the clock ticking down to the break, Miller powered away from Aurelio and reached the byline, before sending in a cross that was fumbled behind by Pepe Reina.

Far from giving them a route to an equaliser, the resulting corner actually saw the Baggies struck on the break for a second time. Valero's flag-kick was cleared and Aurelio fed Keane, who stayed onside and rounded the advancing Carson before finishing left-footed.

The game was effectively over at half-time, leaving the Baggies supporters to resort to gallows humour to keep themselves amused, while awaiting the arrival of returning hero Filipe Teixeira.

His comeback from injury produced a roar surpassed only by the similar reappearance of Reds talisman Fernando Torres from the bench.

Early in the half Zuiverloon stepped out of defence with the ball and fed Koren, who attempted to lob Reina but failed to lift his shot high enough.

As the Baggies enjoyed a decent period, a high ball looped over Agger towards Miller but his first touch was poor and it ran through to Reina.

Substitute Chris Brunt struck a left-footed free-kick with his first touch of the game into the side netting but the game appeared to be dying out, until Torres and Ryan Babbel stepped off the bench to give Liverpool extra impetus.

Torres cut inside onto Benayoun's crossfield pass but his low shot was held comfortably by Carson, before Babbel drove past Zuiverloon and saw his cross turned wide by Kuyt.

In stoppage time a respectable 2-0 became a more depressing 3-0, as Albion created their own problems down the left and Arbeloa collected a neat pass by Kuyt, curling a fine left-footed shot into the top corner.

It was a final insult to previous injuries that the Baggies did not deserve. But, where Liverpool are concerned, it was par for the course.

As Albion fans will testify, normality is overrated.