Liverpool's hopes of playing European football next season rest on Wednesday's Europa League final against Sevilla in Basel after Jurgen Klopp's men were held to a 1-1 draw by West Bromwich Albion this afternoon.
Salomon Rondon opened the scoring for the Baggies in the 13th minute at The Hawthorns, but Liverpool responded through Jordon Ibe's equaliser in the first half.
Neither side could find a winner, meaning that Liverpool finish eighth in the table and West Brom move up to 14th.
Discover how the game unfolded in Sports Mole's updates below.
2.00pmHello everyone! Unfortunately, today's the day we say goodbye to another Premier League season. The champions Leicester City have already been crowned, while Aston Villa, Norwich City and Newcastle United failed to take their fight for survival to the final day. Today, the top four will be decided as either Manchester City or Manchester United will qualify for next season's Champions League. The Europa League places are also up for grabs, with West Ham, Liverpool and Southampton in contention. Right here, we will be taking you through the action between West Bromwich Albion and Liverpool at The Hawthorns.
2.03pmI think it is fair to say that West Brom's season is ending with a whimper. The club are 15th in the standings and have not won any of their last eight top-flight games. Manager Tony Pulis guided the team to safety earlier in the season, but given their recent form, they will be keen to wrap up their campaign with a win in front of their home fans. Depending on other results this afternoon, West Brom could move up to 12th with a win this afternoon.
2.05pmAs for Liverpool, well, they can be forgiven for having one eye on next week's Europa League final against Sevilla. It's a huge game for the Reds, but manager Jurgen Klopp has told his team to forget about the final for now and solely focus on their league finale against the Baggies. The Merseyside outfit are out of contention for the top four as they are currently eighth in the table, but they have a chance of finishing sixth, which would give them Europa League football next season should they fail to win next week's final, which would automatically send them into the Champions League.
2.05pmAnyway, before we go any further, let's bring you the lineups for both sides.
2.06pmWEST BROM XI: Foster; Dawson, Olsson, McAuley, Evans; Fletcher, Yacob; Leko, Gardner, McClean; Rondon
Subs: Myhill, Chester, Lambert, Berahino, Sandro, Roberts, Field
Subs: Myhill, Chester, Lambert, Berahino, Sandro, Roberts, Field
2.07pmLIVERPOOL XI: Bogdan; Flanagan, Skrtel, Lucas, Smith; Stewart, Allen; Brannagan, Ibe, Ojo; Benteke
Subs: Mignolet, Henderson, Ilori, Ings, Randall, Canos, Chirivella
Subs: Mignolet, Henderson, Ilori, Ings, Randall, Canos, Chirivella
2.09pmTony Pulis has opted for an unchanged West Brom side from the one that drew 1-1 with Bournemouth last weekend. So, Ben Foster starts in goal, Craig Dawson, Jonas Olsson, Gareth McAuley and Jonny Evans will line the defence, and Claudio Yacob and Darren Fletcher will hold midfield. James McClean, Craig Gardner and Jonathan Leko will provide service to striker Salomon Rondon.
#WBA team v @LFC: Foster; Olsson, Yacob, Evans, Gardner, McClean, McAuley, Fletcher, Dawson, Rondon, Lekohttps://t.co/Z2sqqtljAi
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBAFCofficial) May 15, 2016
2.13pmAs for Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp has made wholesale changes, as expected. In fact, he is fielding an entirely different starting XI to the team that played Chelsea on Wednesday night. The big news comes from the bench, though, as Danny Ings and captain Jordan Henderson are named among the substitutes. Ings has not played since he underwent cruciate ligament surgery in October, while the skipper has been out with a knee injury since early April.
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2.15pmThe new-look starting side includes Adam Bogdan in goal, Jon Flanagan, Martin Skrtel, Lucas Leiva and Brad Smith in defence. Lucas usually plays in midfield, but he has on occasion been thrown into the back four. Kevin Stewart and Joe Allen line the midfield, while Cameron Brannagan, Jordon Ibe and Sheyi Ojo start behind Christian Benteke.
2.18pmAway from the pitch, West Brom have made a lovely gesture by painting 96 seats red in the away end of The Hawthorns in tribute to the victims of the Hillsborough disaster after it was found that the Liverpool fans were unlawfully killed.
West Brom have installed 96 red seats in tribute to the victims of the Hillsborough disaster for today. pic.twitter.com/xObWd3alDI
— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) May 15, 2016
2.19pmSo, West Brom fans, are you happy with how the season has panned out? Last season, the club finished 13th in the standings on 44 points, nine points above the relegation zone. This season, at the moment, the club are 15th on 42 points, eight points above the relegation zone. The important thing is that the Baggies have avoided a battle for survival, but perhaps its time for them to aim for more.
2.21pmPulis has a reputation for being able to keep clubs from falling into relegation, and he has previously said that he wants to be known for more than that. The club failed to the cup competitions as they were booted out of the League Cup in just their second round of matches, and they missed out on a quarter-final spot in the FA Cup after losing to Reading.
2.22pmWith regards to league form this season, West Brom have won 10 of their 37 games played. They have lost 15 of them and drawn the rest. Their home form has been slightly better as they have picked up 22 points at The Hawthorns compared to 20 on the road.
2.27pmGoals have been very hard to come by for Pulis's men as they have only managed to net 33, which is the second fewest in the Premier League. Only relegated Aston Villa have a worse record (27). A positive, though, is their defensive abilities this season. The team have the eighth strongest defence in the league after conceding 47 goals. Only Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Leicester City, Arsenal, Manchester City, Southampton and Crystal Palace have a better defensive record. The Baggies have also kept 11 clean sheets, just two fewer than Tottenham, who hold the best defensive record in the division.
2.29pmDuring the season, there has been some turmoil regarding Saido Berahino. The forward tried to instigate a move to Tottenham last summer, and after that did not materialise, the England Under-21 international was rumoured to be on the move in January. Despite interest from Stoke City and Newcastle United, Berahino stayed put at The Hawthorns. The striker could be sold when the current season ends, but he has struggled to hold down a regular place in the team.
2.32pmPulis was asked about Berahino's future earlier this week. The Daily Mail quotes him as saying: "I had this chat with Saido and I think he understands that last year he was away with the fairies at times with all that was going on and he has to regain focus this year.
"I've told him to come back as fit as anybody to make sure, whether he stays, he plays at the level that everyone knows he can play at. If not, and he leaves, then he is in good health for another club. The most important thing is we get Saido prepared and let it play out.
"As long as he is playing and focussed then if someone comes along and pays the money that Jeremy accepts then fine. If not, he will still be playing and doing what God's gifted him and that's the gift to score goals and play football."
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2.33pmBerahino has not been able to get West Brom out of their recent slump, though. As mentioned, the club have not won any of their last eight games as they have five and drawn three. In that time, they have only managed to score three goals. Also, throughout the whole season, the Baggies have had just 106 shots on target, which is fewer than any other team.
2.35pmDID YOU KNOW? On the final day of the season, West Brom have only been victorious in one of their last nine Premier League games. They have lost three and drawn five of their final-day fixtures in recent seasons.
2.37pmSo, the stats are not in West Brom's favour, but they have something to look forward to. It appears as though Pulis will be staying put. The former Stoke boss poured doubt over his future earlier in the season after saying that will not commit himself to the club until he speaks with chairman Jeremy Peace at the end of the season. That still remains the case, but he recently admitted that he has no issue with the club and wants to extend his stay at The Hawthorns. Good news for the Baggies!
This is what Pulis had to say on his team's season: "I'm absolutely delighted with the way we've done it this season because we're still in the Premier League.
"Anybody who dispels that as not being an achievement at clubs like West Bromwich Albion, they're in cloud cuckoo land and I really mean that.
"You look at Newcastle, you look at Aston Villa and Norwich, and you look at the traditions of those clubs."
© Getty Images
2.39pmLet's turn our attention to Liverpool then, shall we? I'm sure every Liverpool fan is keen for their club to finish the season on a high note, but most of them will be more concerned with what happens next Wednesday when they take on Sevilla in the Europa League final on Wednesday. That will be the season-defining moment for the Reds given that their Premier League campaign has been inconsistent.
2.41pmThey still have a chance of finishing sixth with a win today, but a playoff against West Ham United for a Europa League spot could be on the cards. The Hammers are sixth at the moment, but if both clubs finish the season on the same points, goal difference and goals scored then a playoff will be selected. However, if Liverpool beat Sevilla on Wednesday, then a playoff would be moot as the Reds would automatically qualify for next season's Champions League if they pick up the trophy.
2.42pmAs mentioned, 'inconsistent' is probably the best way to describe Liverpool's league campaign. They had a managerial change in October when Brendan Rodgers was sacked and Jurgen Klopp was hired. The German coach is already a fan favourite as he has taken the club to two cup finals - the League Cup and Europa League - in just seven months in charge.
2.43pmI think it is fair to say, though, that Klopp, whose previous experience was in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund, has been surprised by the amount of games that Premier League teams need to play. The German coach is known for implementing a pressing, high-energetic style on the pitch, and it was clear to see that the players did not have the fitness levels to keep up with it in his early reign as manager. It now looks like the team have adapted and are capable of delivering his message on the pitch.
2.45pmThe intensity has been perhaps difficult to maintain in every game. In their last 10 league matches, Liverpool have recorded five wins, three draws and two defeats. The Merseyside club were on a role at the start of April has they restricted Tottenham to a 1-1 draw at Anfield, before earning three wins on the trot over Stoke, Bournemouth and Everton.
2.47pmThey were, however, unable to get past Swansea City, who administered a 3-1 win at the Liberty Stadium. A routine 2-0 win over Watford was next for Liverpool, but they struggled against Chelsea on Wednesday night. The visitors to Anfield were the better team on the night, particularly due to the performance of Eden Hazard, but the Reds managed to come away with a 1-1 draw after Christian Benteke struck late.
2.49pmIf Liverpool lose the Europa League final next week, overall, it could be seen as a rather disappointing season in terms of their league standing. However, there is a lot of positivity around Anfield because even though they are not yet up at the top fighting for titles, it is clear what Klopp is trying to do with the team. His vision and ideas are clear on the pitch, which could result in a very exciting few years ahead for Liverpool.
Klopp has already begun to reflect on his seven months in charge. He is quoted by This is Anfield as saying: "I'm not sure it could have gone better in terms of relationships with the players, the club and the fans. It's been better than I could have imagined but we could have had more points.
"When you see how close the table is, I think about dropped points and where we would be with three or four more points. It could be better but it's okay. We will go to the final and see where it ends.
"We haven't had the chance this year to be champions of the league. We could have had a chance of top four but because of the number of games and the injuries we couldn't get enough points.
"If you cannot be one of the best four teams, you still have to develop and that's what we did. We have to use each experience from this year for next year. It's a good atmosphere around Liverpool FC. That makes me optimistic."
© Getty Images
2.53pmOnce this season comes to an end, all eyes will be on the transfer market and who Klopp will target. The German has already brought in Marko Grujic and Joel Matip, but it'll be interesting to see who else comes through the Anfield doors. It will also be interesting to see who goes out. Daniel Sturridge recently suggested that he could leave Liverpool in the future. The England international said that he is not "Liverpool until I die" and that it is rare for players to be one-club men.
2.53pmEarlier in the season, Sturridge was criticised over his fitness and some believed that he would refuse to play unless he felt 100% fit, therefore leading to questions over his commitment. The forward has struggled with injuries for some time, but has found form since returning having scored four goals since April 10. Sturridge has been forced to take a backseat to Divock Origi, who was often preferred to start, but after the Belgian was struck down with injury, Sturridge has had a chance to prove his ability. It is obvious that he has felt frustrated this season, so there may be clubs who will try to lure him away this summer.
© AFP
2.55pmSTATS! Inconsistency may be the theme of Liverpool's season, but they have only lost once in their last eight outings in the top flight. Also, James Milner has impressed under Klopp having provided 11 assists in the Premier League, which is two more than any other English player. It has not been the most positive of seasons for Christian Benteke as he has been on the bench for the majority of it, but nobody has scored more goals (6) than him after coming off the bench.
2.56pmHEAD TO HEAD: Interestingly, three of the last four league meetings between West Brom and Liverpool have been drawn. In December, the two sides played one another at Anfield and it ended in a 2-2 draw. Jordan Henderson gave Liverpool the lead before Craig Dawson equalised nine minutes later. Jonas Olsson put the Baggies in front in the second half, but Origi scored a 96th-minute equaliser.
2.58pmLucas is the captain for Liverpool today as he leads the team out onto the pitch. The West Brom side are out too. After the obligatory handshakes, Fletcher and Rickie Lambert will lay some flowers down in front of the Liverpool fans as a tribute to the 96 victims of the Hillsborough disaster.
1 minKICKOFF! We're underway at The Hawthorns with the sun beaming down! Who can end their season on a high? Let's find out!
3 minThere's not much to shout about in these early stages. Both sides are just trying to find their feet in these early stages.
4 minSmith tries to make things happen for Liverpool as he breaks away from his marker down the left before drilling a low cross into the box towards Benteke, but the Baggies clear.
5 minIt's all Liverpool at the moment as they string plenty of passes together, but are yet to test Foster with any goalscoring opportunities.
3.09pmBREAKING NEWS! The match between Manchester United and Bournemouth at Old Trafford has been abandoned! The North-West club have confirmed that a "suspect package" has been found in the stadium. The Premier League season will not finish today!
9 minSadly, there's not been much to report at The Hawthorns. The only thing bright about this game so far is the sun!
11 minLiverpool have had plenty of the ball, but are not doing too much with it at the moment. West Brom are not providing any threat at the moment. We need someone to spark some life into this game!
13 minGOAL! WEST BROM 1-0 LIVERPOOL (RONDON)
13 minFinally, some action! Liverpool have had most possession, but West Brom have taken the lead. It was a mistake by Allen, who gave the ball to Leko. The attacker then escaped two tackles before slipping the ball through to Rondon, who beat Bogdan at his near post.
16 minCHANCE! The visitors try to respond quickly as the ball is worked into the penalty area to find Benteke, who unleashes a shot, but it hits the side-netting.
18 minSome poor defending led to the goal. Firstly, Allen lost possession and Liverpool's youngsters in midfield struggled to close down Leko. Credit must go to the West Brom man, though, as he showed great skill before playing in Rondon.
22 minCHANCE! Brannagan manages to work his way into the box before shooting towards the net, but Foster drops down to comfortably make a save.
23 minGOAL! WEST BROM 1-1 LIVERPOOL (IBE)
23 minLiverpool are back in the game and it's fully deserved. It was a quality goal from the England Under-21 international as he cut inside before driving into the box and sending a low shot into the back of the net with his left foot.
25 minIbe has been struggling for first-team action of late, but that goal might put him back in Klopp's thinking ahead of Wednesday's Europa League final.
30 minWe've reached the half-hour mark of the game, and it's by no means been a thriller, but we've had two lovely goals! It's evenly poised at the moment.
31 minAllen tries to go it alone by surging from midfield and unleashing a strike from 25 yards out. It fails to trouble Foster, though, and the ball sails past the right post.
35 minOjo gets in behind West Brom's defence after being played in by Benteke. Leko slips and allows the youngster through, but Yacob cleanly tackles the winger in the box.
37 minLeko does well on the ball as he surges towards the box, but Brannagan puts in a well-timed tackle to halt the attacker's move.
40 minBOOKING! Young Smith is the first to receive a caution in this game. The Liverpool left-back is booked for diving after going down easily under a challenge from Olsson.
45 minLiverpool win a free kick and Brannagan takes it. West Brom clear the ball but it drops to Stewart who attempts a volley, but he's hacked down and the Reds get another free kick.
45 minBenteke takes the set piece this time, but his effort goes straight into the wall.
45+2 minHALF-TIME: WEST BROM 1-1 LIVERPOOL
3.49pmThe referee blows his whistle and the game is evenly poised at 1-1. To be perfectly honest, it will not go down as one of the most thrilling final-day fixtures. It started slowly, but improved as the first half continued. Salomon Rondon opened the scoring in the 13th minute for the Baggies, but Liverpool responded with a great strike from Jordon Ibe. As the half came to an end, the game opened up but we are still at one goal apiece. We'll return for the second half shortly!
46 minRESTART! We're back underway at The Hawthorns! Will we get a winner this afternoon, or are we destined for a draw?
46 minWEST BROM SUB: Pulis has made a change at the break. Olsson comes off and is replaced with Chester.
47 minMISS! Wow, what a chance missed by West Brom! Rondon meets a free kick and heads towards goal. The ball then bounces off the post and back into the forward's path, but he squanders the rebound by sending the ball over the bar from six yards out!
51 minLiverpool have picked up where they left off in the first half - on the frontfoot. There isn't too much intensity from Klopp's men, but they are enjoying plenty of possession.
54 minWest Brom win a corner and as it's whipped in, Flannagan deals with it and clears the danger. As it stands, Liverpool will miss out on a Europa League spot as both West Ham and Southampton are winning.
56 minJust as I say that, it comes through that Stoke have equalised against West Ham. This means that Liverpool will finish seventh if they score two more goals or if Stoke win.
57 minOjo shoots wide! The youngster is set up by Benteke, who charges at West Brom's defence before teeing the ball up for his teammate.
59 minCHANCE! At the other end, McClean cuts in from the left side and sets himself up for a shot. His attempt off the side of his right boot flies wide.
61 minCHANCE! West Brom are creating more opportunities now. This time, the ball is fizzed across the area to find Rondon, but it's a poor header from him and he fails to find his target.
64 minLIVERPOOL SUBS: Big moment for Ings as he returns to the pitch for the first time since October. The striker replaces Ibe, while Allen makes way for Henderson.
67 minThe hosts earn a corner and as it's swung into the box and reaches Rondon, whose close-range effort from the far post deflected off Skrtel's leg behind for another corner. McAuley meets it, but heads over the bar.
71 minAs it stands, Liverpool need to score one more goal to give themselves hope of qualifying for next season's Europa League. At the moment, Southampton and West Ham are in the European spots.
72 minWEST BROM SUB: It's the end of Leko's afternoon as he makes way for Roberts.
75 minBOOKING! Roberts has only been on the field a matter of minutes, but he's already in the referee's book following a late sliding tackle on Henderson.
80 minLIVERPOOL SUB: Canos, who recently returned to Liverpool following a positive loan spell at Brentford, is handed his Liverpool debut. He replaces Ojo.
82 minSo close from West Brom! The corner comes into the box and there's panic from the visitors as they struggle initially to clear the area. They manage to eventually!
86 minGreat work from Liverpool as the ball is fed into the feet of Ings, but his control lets him down and the ball goes behind for a corner, which comes to nothing.
90 minSorry folks, a few technical issues, but we're back on track! We have two minutes of additional time to play.
90+2 minFULL-TIME: WEST BROM 1-1 LIVERPOOL
4.56pmSo, there we have it! There will be no European football for Liverpool next season unless they beat Sevilla in next Wednesday's Europa League final. If they win that showdown in Basel, they will automatically qualify for the Champions League. Jurgen Klopp's men have finished the Premier League season in eighth place, while the Baggies move up to 15th. That's all from us. Thank you for joining us this evening and for the entire season! Until next time, goodbye!
