Roberto Firmino on target as Liverpool edge West Brom

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:45 am

Roberto Firmino scored Liverpool's winner as they saw off West Bromwich Albion with a 1-0 victory to move up to third in the Premier League.

Firmino scored the only goal of the game at The Hawthorns with a header at the end of the first half to edge Liverpool two points clear of fourth-placed Manchester City.

It was Liverpool who created the game's first real chance following a quiet start, with Philippe Coutinho slipping in Firmino but he sent his low strike just wide of the post on 15 minutes.

West Brom could have gone ahead 10 minutes later when Matt Phillips picked out Nacer Chadli in the area, but the former Tottenham man miskicked the ball from just a few yards out.

Coutinho soon dragged an effort wide from the edge of the box for Liverpool, before Hal Robson-Kanu sent his strike straight at Simon Mignolet down the other end after being played in on goal by Jake Livermore.

Roberto Firmino celebrates his strike against Liverpool.
Roberto Firmino celebrates his strike against Liverpool.
David Davies/EMPICS Sport

Liverpool did manage to find a breakthrough on the stroke of half-time through Firmino, who arrived at the far post to head home after Lucas Leiva had done well to flick on James Milner's free kick into the box.

The visitors were the stronger team after the restart and saw Divock Origi bend a shot wide on 55 minutes, before an unmarked Milner blazed over the bar a few moments later after being found at the far post by Firmino.

Liverpool continued to come forward in search of a second as the half progressed and again went close when Joel Matip headed off target after connecting with Milner's delivery from a free kick.

West Brom had a great chance to equalise with just 10 minutes left on the clock when Salomon Rondon fed the ball to Phillips inside the box, but Mignolet was quick off his line to thwart him with a good stop.

Alberto Moreno could have made sure of the result for Liverpool in stoppage time when they counterattacked from a West Brom corner, which goalkeeper Ben Foster had come up for, but the full-back scuffed his shot at an empty goal wide from distance.