Deano: Ben's helped rejuvenate season

DEAN Kiely believes Ben Foster’s sparkling display in Monday’s 2-0 victory at Liverpool could help to redefine eighth-placed Albion’s season.

The former Blues stopper kept out 14 goalbound efforts at Anfield – including Steven Gerrard’s 77th-minute penalty – as Steve Clarke’s outfit ended a six-game winless run and are again looking up the table on 37 points, with 12 games remaining.

And the Baggies’ goalkeeping coach insists Foster, who earned his third-successive clean sheet against the Reds, again highlighted his prowess between the sticks on Merseyside.

“Ben Foster is a top, top Premier League goalkeeper and it’s a pleasure to work with him,” said Kiely.

“When he plays like he did on Monday there’s no limit to what he is capable of. 

“His contribution to the game was really pleasing and sometimes as a goalkeeper you make plenty of saves and your team still loses so it was nice that his performance counted for something.

“The fact that his performance contributed to us going and winning at Anfield is a big, big deal, so it’s really pleasing for all of us.

“This season started in August and for us to have the points total we have now, in what is an unbelievable league, is nothing short of absolutely tremendous and it’s been a fantastic season.

“I know people are going to make knee-jerk reactions to the last month as it has been disappointing but for us to go to Anfield and play the way we played, with that intensity, against a very good Liverpool side, is impressive and we deserve the credit.

“Hopefully we are now able to build on that result when we play our next game against Sunderland.

“There was a game plan and things went exactly how we wanted them to.

“We thought we’d be a danger off set pieces and low and behold we were. 

“It’s great when things fall into place and Monday night definitely falls into that category.”