Liverpool 0 - 1 West Bromwich Albion: Roy Hodgson return haunts Liverpool

Had the hosts converted all their chances they would probably have made it into double figures but their season-long goalscoring problems cost them dearly once again.

Baggies manager Hodgson, sacked by Liverpool in January last year after a disappointing six months in charge, will no doubt have taken great satisfaction on his first return to his former club.

Kenny Dalglish, the man who replaced him, will be wondering what his side have to do solve their problems in front of goal after twice hitting the woodwork and having a penalty claim rejected in addition to numerous other opportunities.

The killer goal was delivered by Peter Odemwingie 15 minutes from time and Liverpool have now won just one Barclays Premier League game at home in 2012 and dropped 27 points at Anfield in the current campaign.

With diving back on the agenda after recent incidents involving Manchester United’s Ashley Young, the spotlight was turned on Maxi Rodriguez in the most contentious incident of the first half. The Argentinian did appear to be caught by Billy Jones as he flicked the ball past him on the edge of the six-yard area but referee Neil Swarbrick waved away appeals.

But Liverpool, without the injured Steven Gerrard, should not have had to rely on the official for a helping hand after a number of chances went begging.

Dirk Kuyt, whose future at Anfield has been the subject of much speculation, set the tone in the 10th minute by dragging a shot wide. Luis Suarez had a shot parried by ben Foster and the rebound was blazed over by Rodriguez.

West Brom were restricted to two chances but had it not been for the brilliance of Jose Reina, returning after a three-match suspension, they would have been ahead. The Spain international produced an instinctive one-handed save low to his left to stop Chris Brunt’s 28th-minute volley before blocking Liam Ridgewell’s shot when Graham Dorrans’ corner dropped in the six-yard area.

After half-time, the visitors’ defence came under siege yet was never beaten, although that was often down to luck as much as design.

But the 75th minute brought the sucker punch when Glen Johnson’s attempts to wriggle out of a tight spot saw him give the ball away to Mulumbu, who played in Odemwingie to shoot home.

It was only the Baggies’ second goal in 12 visits to Anfield – the last coming when Garth Crooks scored in a 4-1 defeat in 1985 – but, if Hodgson felt a degree of smugness, he did well to hide it as he sat unmoved on the bench.

Still Liverpool’s onslaught continued, with Jonas Olsson blocking a certain goal for Andy Carroll and Foster claiming Suarez’s narrow-angle shot at the second attempt, and at the final whistle an understandable air of disbelief wafted around Anfield.