Salomon Rondon completed a remarkable West Bromwich Albion comeback from two goals down against Liverpool although the hard-won point from a 2-2 draw at the Hawthorns on Saturday will probably only delay their relegation.
The visitors appeared to have half an eye on Tuesday's Champions League semi-final against AS Roma but still established a comfortable lead through Danny Ings and Mo Salah.
Ings's goal after just four minutes was his first in the Premier League since October 2015. The striker should have had a second soon afterwards and probably been awarded a penalty after being bundled over by Craig Dawson.
With Salah notching up his 31st of the season to equal Luis Suarez's club record for goals in a season, Liverpool appeared to have done enough to take the points.
Albion's caretaker manager Darren Moore has, however, injected resilience into his side and, with Liverpool's defence suddenly displaying their early-season sloppiness, Jake Livermore scrambled a goal from a corner after 79 minutes to give Albion hope.
The equaliser followed another set piece late on when Chris Brunt delivered a perfect freekick into the area for Rondon to head home.
All the action, as it happened, below...
West Brom XI: Foster; Nyom, Dawson, Hegazi, Gibbs; Phillips, Livermore, Brunt, McClean; Rodriguez; Rondon
Liverpool XI: Karius; Gomez, Van Dijk, Klavan, Moreno; Henderson, Milner, Wijnaldum; Salah, Ings, Mane
Milner leads the investigation
So what happened?
Certainly seems like James Milner wants to know.
MATCH REPORT
Liverpool warmed up for their Champions League semi-final by throwing away a two goal lead to draw 2-2 with bottom of the table West Bromwich Albion.
Goals from Danny Ings and Mo Salah put the Reds in command at The Hawthorns and with 12 minutes left, they looked on course for a comfortable three points.
But Albion refused to give up and can continue clinging onto their faint survival hopes thanks to late strikes from Jake Livermore and Salomon Rondon.
Head this way for the rest of the match report and 5 talking points
WBA 2-2 Liverpool (Rondon)
GOAL! WBA 1-2 Liverpool (Livermore)
Now then.
Game on.
Livermore scrambles home.
GAG
GOAL! WBA 0-2 Liverpool (Salah)
Brilliant.
A tremendous sweeping move, involving both Firmino and Oxlade-Chamberlain.
And Salah did the rest, chipping deliciously over Ben Foster.
Premier League goal No.31 for the Egyptian.
This man has entered the fray.
Matt Phillips is having a solid game for West Brom.
He’s been busy when they’ve given him the ball and has asked questions of Moreno and co.
They need to get him more involved however in the final third.
Loris Karius is on course for another clean sheet.
Sometimes it doesn’t look pretty.
But the German is becoming very, very effective.
STAT
Good this.
If you assume Wijnaldum was teeing him up for the goal today of course.
it will go down as such of course.
Liverpool so close to a second goal.
Salah caused havoc, Ings appeared....and he was denied by Ben Foster.
Good proactive keeping from the Albion No.1.
Decent touch from Joe Gomez.
West Brom are pushing that little bit more and have forced some corners.
Nothing to show for it mind.
West Brom have marshalled Salah reasonably well thus far.
He had one chance earlier, but curled over the bar.
Since then, not a lot for the Egyptian.
West Brom are looking to snap their way back into proceedings, using the industry of Rodriguez, McClean and Phillips, and the bull-dozing power of Venezuelan Rondon.
Liverpool are dominating possession however and working the ball intelligently around the pitch.
Mo Salah has threatened on a couple of occasions and, right now, 2-0 looks more likely than 1-1.
Look at what Ings’ goal meant to him.
Milner looks delighted too.
A long wait finally over.
Now what for Big Dave?
He’s led Albion to four points in his two games in charge.
They’ll need to come from behind here.
Liverpool, when scoring first in the league this season, have won 18 and drawn 5 of their 23 matches.
They’ve not lost after going in front.
*GULP*
STAT
WBA 0-1 Liverpool (Ings)
We mentioned it before kickoff.
But Danny Ings finally is back on a Premier League scoresheet.
The injury-hit striker - linked with West Brom in January - has finally found the net after 930 days.
Well done that man.
Here come the teams...
Right then.
The teams are out of the tunnel and on the pitch.
Kick off coming very shortly.
Uh-oh
Rule 1 of getting a name on the back of your shirt: Make sure it is spelt correctly.
This Albion fan obviously wasn’t aware of said rule.
Looking at the Baggies
West Brom know that only a win will do for them if they’re to produce another great escape.
Salomon Rondon, often a handful in attack but a player that should score more than he does, can cause Ragnar Klavan and Virgil van Dijk trouble with his power.
Jake Livermore, England international Jake Livermore, will be looking to get the better of Jordan Henderson.
Can he impress Gareth Southgate?
Starting Salah
Jurgen Klopp is keen to keep Mo Salah in a good rhythm ahead of his return against Roma in midweek.
Salah has had an astonishing season.
Player of the year worthy? Kevin de Bruyne has something to say about that, but he’s certainly not far off.
Ingsy's chance
It’s been 930 days since Danny Ings last found the net.
Injuries have plagued his time at Anfield.
But Jurgen Klopp is a fan and Ings gets another shot this afternoon.
Klopp explains his changes
“We have the players available. Now we have Alberto, we have Ragnar, we have Ingsy – and that helps us a lot,” Klopp said from the Hawthorns.
“That’s what we did during the season when we could – we changed the team from time to time, we rotated a little bit and brought in really fresh legs.
“OK, we had a normal week but at the beginning of the week one or two players had a few issues. So pretty early in the week it was clear I wanted to choose that line-up.”
How's the pitch?
Liverpool players have been out on the pitch.
Dejan Lovren took a few photos with home fans - he’s only on the bench today.
Plenty of sun in the West Midlands.
A pretty glorious day.
West Brom TEAM
Darren Moore names an unchanged side.
That means they continue with a 4-4-1-1 formation, with Salomon Rondon supported by Jay Rodriguez in attack.
West Brom XI: Foster; Nyom, Dawson, Hegazi, Gibbs; Phillips, Livermore, Brunt, McClean; Rodriguez; Rondon
Liverpool TEAM
Liverpool name Mo Salah in their side - but it’s a much-changed starting XI.
Firmino, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson and Lovren all rested for that showdown with Roma.
Danny Ings and Sadio Mane both start in attack, with Jordan Henderson back in midfield.
Ragnar Klavan is alongside Virgil van Dijk, with Joe Gomez at right-back and Alberto Moreno on the left.
Starting XI: Karius; Gomez, Van Dijk, Klavan, Moreno; Henderson, Milner, Wijnaldum; Salah, Ings, Mane
Thumbs up from Bobby F
Thumbs up from Firmino.
Does that mean he starts for Klopp today?
The Brazilian has had a magnificent season.
Couple of early pics
Starting to get busy around Sandwell and the ground now.
Liverpool fans are enjoying the relaxed nature and talking feverishly about Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Roma.
Team news coming up in 10 minutes,
Betting odds
West Brom 11/2
Draw 7/2
Liverpool 8/15
(Odds courtesy of Betfair)