Liverpool sign off with West Brom draw
Sunday, May 15, 2016
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Jordan Henderson made a late bid to feature in the UEFA Europa League final after returning from injury in Liverpool's last league game this term – a 1-1 draw with West Brom.
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Jordan Henderson and Danny Ings returned from injury as Liverpool drew 1-1 at West Bromwich Albion in their last game of the Premier League season – and their final test before the UEFA Europa League decider against Sevilla on Wednesday.
Manager Jürgen Klopp made 11 changes to the team that recorded a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in midweek, with the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge training at the Reds' Melwood complex on Sunday ahead of their trip to Basel. Forward Divock Origi was left out too, as he looks to return from an ankle injury in time for Liverpool's pursuit of their fourth victory in the UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League.
The visitors took time to settle at the Hawthorns and fell behind on 13 minutes to a José Rondón strike, before Jordon Ibe levelled shortly after with a fine individual effort, brushing past Jonny Evans and Jonas Olsson before firing in his first league goal of the campaign. That was enough for Liverpool to seal a point as they ended the season in eighth – their joint lowest finish since promotion in 1962 – though victory in Switzerland would secure the club a spot in next season's UEFA Champions League group stage.
Teenage Spaniard Sergi Canós became the 38th player used by Liverpool this season after coming off the bench late on, but the best news of the day for Reds fans was the sight of England duo Henderson and Ings entering the fray on 64 minutes. Henderson returned following a knee problem suffered last month, while Ings – not in the club's UEFA Europa League squad – had been out since October, also with a knee injury.
"I don't want to force the situation and say 'Come on Hendo, try', but he didn't feel anything in the last few sessions so we wanted to try to give him 20 minutes – in the end it was half an hour," said Klopp, after watching Henderson come back in time to press for a role at St. Jakob-Park.
The German coach also defended his team selection with Liverpool's date with Sevilla looming on the horizon. "I decided what the strongest side was," he said. "The problem would be if we came with other players and they already had their mind on the next game. It would be absolutely normal – we cannot change this."