Sam Allardyce hails ‘fantastic guts and determination’ from his players after West Brom ‘keep a tight ship’ to take hard-fought point from Anfield thanks to Semi Ajayi’s late equaliser
- West Brom earned hard-fought 1-1 draw against champions Liverpool at Anfield
- Semi Ajayi guided a fine late header to take point after defending for much of tie
- Manager Sam Allardyce was full of praise for his side’s ‘guts and determination’
Sam Allardyce praised West Brom’s ‘fantastic guts and determination’ after kept ‘a tight ship’ to take a hard-earned point from Anfield.
A late headed equaliser from Semi Ajayi earned a 1-1 draw for the Baggies after they reduced Premier League champions Liverpool to a one goal lead for much of Sunday night’s clash.
Their organised defensive shape saw them frustrate the Reds to just two shots on target, while an earlier missed breakaway chance for Karlan Grant means they could even be disappointed not to leave with all three points.
Sam Allardyce praised West Brom’s ‘fantastic guts and determination’ in draw vs Liverpool
Semi Ajayi equalised late on to earn a hard-fought point for the Baggies against the champions
Allardyce, who took charge of only his second Albion match, praised his side’s ability to ‘keep a tight ship’ and hold out the champions for so long.
‘I think (we saw) really good organisation. (We saw) A team trying their very best to nullify the best team in this league and what a fantastic job they did’, Allardyce said post match, ‘It’s all about staying in the game when you come here. We kept that tight ship going for a long time.
‘The resilience of the side gave us the chance to create more in the second half which ultimately resulted in a fantastic chance for Karlan Grant and then big Semi fired in a great header.
‘I’m just glad it went in. Every man today served the spirit of the team in terms of what we need to get out of the division.’
Albion’s defensive shape saw them frustrate Reds to just two shots on target in the match
Allardyce spoke of his pride after his players ‘fought for each other’ to take the unlikely draw
Ajayi’s wonderful header was only Albion’s 11th strike this season, and the boss admitted they need to keep making the most of their limited chances if they are to steer clear of relegation this season.
‘Goals are precious to us. We defended so well and took the opportunity when it came around’, Allardyce added.
‘The lads have shown a lot of grit and determination, a lot of organisation. They’ve fought for each other. Matt Phillips seemed to be inspired by being captain. I saw a lot of guts, determination, and with the goal, a lot of quality.’