West Bromwich Albion 1-1 Liverpool

Jordon Ibe's goal was his first in the Premier League

Liverpool must win the Europa League final to secure European football next season as a draw at West Brom ensured an eighth-place league finish.

West Brom led when 17-year-old Jonathan Leko skipped free to tee up Salomon Rondon for an emphatic low finish.

Liverpool responded soon after though Jordon Ibe's fine run and shot.

Neither side could do enough after the break to win all three points, but the Baggies came closest with Rondon hitting the post with a deft header.

Reaction from Sunday's Premier League games

Relive the action from the Hawthorns

Youngsters impress

The reverse fixture at Anfield in December had been a heated affair, ending with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp declining to shake the hand of West Brom opposite number Tony Pulis.

With the Baggies long since safe and Liverpool saving themselves for Wednesday's Europa League final, this was a far tamer encounter enlivened by two excellent goals.

Goal graphics — Leko (no 45 in the left hand graphic) set up Rondon (33) for the opener before Ibe (33 in the right hand graphic) showed pace and purpose to level for Liverpool

Leko - a constant threat during his 73 minutes on the pitch - burst between Cameron Brannagan and Joe Allen to set up Rondon with a cute reverse ball for the first, before 20-year-old Ibe cut in off his flank, swerved Jonas Olsson and buried a low shot into the bottom corner to level.

The appearance of England internationals Jordan Henderson - out with knee ligament damage since April - and Danny Ings - missing since October with a knee injury - as late substitutes drew cheers form the travelling fans.

Pre-match unity

Fans at the Hawthorns — Flowers were left on one of the red seats in the away end

Both sets of supporters were united in applause and acclaim before kick-off as West Brom paid tribute to the courage and tenacity of the families of those who died at the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.

The rest of the Premier League showed their solidarity with their campaign at the time of April's verdict of unlawful killing, but West Brom chose to save their salute until Liverpool's final-day visit.

Ninety-six red seats were set up in the away end, each bearing a name of a Hillsborough victim and left unfilled for Sunday's match.

Former Liverpool striker Rickie Lambert - now at West Brom - and Baggies captain Darren Fletcher laid flowers in front of the away supporters before kick-off as the 2012 Hillsborough charity single - a cover of the Hollies' He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother - played over the public address system.

Trouble ahead?

This season's on-field business is done for West Brom, but the discussions over Pulis' future are only just about to start.

Tony Pulis — Pulis took charge at West Brom in January 2015 after quitting Crystal Palace the previous August

The Baggies boss will meet chairman Jeremy Peace in the next few weeks to discuss the possibility of extending his contract beyond the end of next season.

Fourteenth in the league before Bournemouth replay their abandoned fixture against Manchester United, Pulis will likely point to his success in securing the West Midlands club's Premier League status several weeks before this meeting with Liverpool.

His critics may suggest that security has come at the cost of style with West Brom scoring only 34 goals this season. Only Aston Villa - with 27 - have managed fewer.

Man of the match - Jonathan Leko

What they said

West Brom boss Tony Pulis: "That has been us for seven or eight games - we needed the second goal, created the chances but have not been able to put them away. We have to have that little bit more in the final third.

"Saido Berahino, James Morrison and Chris Brunt have not played half the games that we would have liked them to this season. With the injuries and the lads we have had to call on, I think the lads have done fantastically.

"I think this is a wonderful club with fantastic tradition. We have to improve, especially at the top end of the pitch."

West Brom 1-1 Liverpool: Baggies must improve next season - Pulis

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: "I think we deserved this point. We knew that we would have lots of problems if we gave them set-pieces because that was an area in which they could be stronger than us today.

"We created not enough real chances, but we played football, could have done a little bit better, but I am fine with the game.

We have got 60 points. We could have had more, everyone knows this. Could we have had less? No, I don't think so. If we don't play European football next season we have to use the time we have."

West Brom 1-1 Liverpool: Klopp praises returning Henderson

The stats you need to know

West Brom have had fewer shots on target than any other team in the Premier League with 107.
West Brom's Jonathan Leko is the first player born in 1999 to assist a Premier League goal.
Salomon Rondon has opened the scoring eight times in the Premier League this season, only Jamie Vardy (12) and Harry Kane (9) have done so more often.
Jordon Ibe's goal, in the 23rd minute, was the final shot on target of the game.
Liverpool used 34 players in the 2015-16 Premier League campaign, four more than in any previous season.
Liverpool have finished outside the top five for the sixth time in seven seasons.

Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text

Line-ups

West Brom

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Foster
25Dawson
23McAuley
3OlssonSubstituted forChesterat 45'minutes
6EvansBooked at 87mins
24Fletcher
5Yacob
45LekoSubstituted forRobertsat 73'minutesBooked at 74mins
8Gardner
14McCleanBooked at 45minsSubstituted forFieldat 86'minutes
33Rondón

Substitutes

4Chester
13Myhill
17Lambert
18Berahino
30Guimaraes Cordeiro
44Roberts
47Field

Liverpool

Formation 4-3-3

34Bogdan
38Flanagan
37Skrtel
21Leiva
44B SmithBooked at 40mins
32Brannagan
35Stewart
24AllenSubstituted forHendersonat 64'minutes
33IbeSubstituted forIngsat 64'minutes
9Benteke
54OjoSubstituted forCanosat 81'minutes

Substitutes

14Henderson
22Mignolet
26Ilori
28Ings
56Randall
64Canos
68Chirivella

Referee:: Robert Madley
Attendance:: 26,196

Match Stats

Home TeamWest BromAway TeamLiverpool

Possession: Home33%; Away67%

Shots: Home13; Away7

Shots on Target: Home1; Away3

Corners: Home7; Away5

Fouls: Home11; Away14

Live Text

Post update
Match ends, West Bromwich Albion 1, Liverpool 1.
90'+3'
Full Time
Second Half ends, West Bromwich Albion 1, Liverpool 1.

90'+2'
Post update
Foul by Kevin Stewart (Liverpool).
90'+2'
Post update
Sam Field (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.
90'
Post update
Attempt blocked. Salomón Rondón (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
89'
Post update
Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Brad Smith.
87'
Booking
Jonny Evans (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card.
87'
Post update
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Gareth McAuley.
86'
Substitution
Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Sam Field replaces James McClean.
86'
Post update
Foul by Jon Flanagan (Liverpool).
86'
Post update
Claudio Yacob (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
86'
Post update
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Gareth McAuley.
83'
Post update
Foul by Sergi Canos (Liverpool).
83'
Post update
Claudio Yacob (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
82'
Post update
Offside, West Bromwich Albion. Craig Gardner tries a through ball, but Salomón Rondón is caught offside.
82'
Post update
Attempt blocked. Tyler Roberts (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Salomón Rondón.
82'
Post update
Attempt missed. Salomón Rondón (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right following a corner.
81'
Post update
Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Brad Smith.
81'
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Sergi Canos replaces Sheyi Ojo.
80'
Post update
Foul by Danny Ings (Liverpool).

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