Club News

Ridgewell wants another 'unreal' result

Defender hoping return of core players will give Baggies good chance of getting something at Anfield

LIAM Ridgewell hopes the return of Albion’s core players can bring him another Anfield highlight tonight (ko 8pm).

The former Villa and Blues defender is set to continue at left-back as Goran Popov serves the first game of a three-match ban.

And, after winning on Reds soil for the first time in his career last term, he is targeting another positive result with the majority of Steve Clarke’s big hitters available for selection again.

“Winning there last season was one of the wins that was up there,” said Ridgewell.

“I’d never won there before.

“It’s such a great stadium, and playing such a good team, to go and win there was unreal.

“Hopefully we can go and do that again but just to get a good result and bringing something back here for the following game is what we want.

“I don't see why we can't do it again.

“I'm sure people will expect Liverpool to win, we're at a sticky point but it would be nice to go up there and get a result. 

“I can't explain why the form has tailed off.

“We've been working hard to try and put it right.

“It’s difficult to maintain that good run throughout the season.

“It's a tough thing in the Premier League - only the top four, five or six teams in the country can do that. 

“They have the squad and resources to keep that going. 

“We're striving to do that. 

“We need to have a good end to the season like we had at the start of the season.”

Ridgewell feels the renewal of central-midfield partnership Claudio Yacob and Youssouf Mulumbu in front of the Baggies' back-four could help them get back to the form that saw them lose just four times in 14 top-flight clashes before December.

“You pick up injuries and change the team about,” he added.

“I’m sure the gaffer wants to get a solid team, solid back-four, solid back-six and keep everyone playing every week like we had at the start of the season.

“We must have gone a lot of games without hardly changing the team – it works.

“When I was at Blues we went around 15 games with the same back-four - and things like that don’t lie.

“I’m sure he wants to get people back in there and doing what they’re good at.

“Claudio sits and let’s Youssouf go and do what he wants to do, and roam and try and nick the balls off people – and Claudio knows what he’s doing and gets it done.

“They work as a very good pair.

"That’s not taking away from people like George Thorne, who did such a great job, and it’s a shame for him to get injured like he has, and Brunty filling in as well - it’s that squad you talk about.

"But it’s good to have Claudio and Youssouf both back fit and able to play.”