Nuri Sahin double gives new life to Liverpool's season

Nuri Sahin struck twice to guide Liverpool into the fourth round of the Capital One Cup on Wednesday on a night full of positives for Brendan Rodgers.

His team showed resilience in recovering from Gabriel Tamas's early goal for West Brom. The Liverpool manager's decision to bring in Sahin on loan from Real Madrid, calling on his contacts with Jose Mourinho, was vindicated.

Rodgers' inexperienced players refused to be overawed, particularly the 24-year-old Moroccan winger Oussama Assaidi, who was outstanding down the left flank all evening. Rodger's youngsters impressed, particularly Samed Yesil, while Jerome Sinclair, a fleet-footed striker, rose from the bench to become the youngest player in Liverpool history at 16 years and six days, obliterating Jack Robinson's 16 years 250 days.

Rodgers will also take great heart from the way his reserves played his way, keeping possession, and by the way Liverpool supporters kept chanting his name as an experienced West Brom team were overcome.

West Brom had won many friends amongst their visitors with a dignified pre-match tribute to those Liverpool fans who died at Hillsborough. Steve Clarke began his programme notes with a salute to the families, expressing his hope they get justice. A mascot accompanied the players on to

the pitch, bearing a shirt with the number 96.

After sustained applause from all corners of the Hawthorns, Michael Oliver got the tie underway. Liverpool endured a wretched start, going behind after only three minutes. When Liam Ridgewell swept over a free-kick from the left, Brad Jones rushed from his line and appeared to have the situation under control. But the Liverpool goalkeeper ran into Romelu Lukaku and Jonas Olsson, dropping the ball invitingly for Tamas, who drilled it in.

Liverpool appealed loudly to Oliver for a free-kick, for a perceived infringement on Jones, but the referee signalled a goal. West Brom fans chuckled "can we play you every week", remembering their 3-0 opening-day Premier League win over Liverpool. But Rodgers' side hit back.

Sahin began to become involved, dictating moves with that clever left foot from in front of Liverpool's back four. Rodgers' youthful three-man attack started to move with more confidence. Assaidi, quickly indicating his promise, went down the left and lifted in a terrific cross that Yesil headed wide, a real waste of a gem of a ball. Increasingly assertive in possession, Liverpool equalised after 17 minutes.

When Andre Wisdom rolled the ball inside from the right to Sahin, the Turkish international nudged it forward before unleashing a low left-footed shot which should have been comfortably saved by Ben Foster. Suffering one of those aberrations that have scarred his career, Foster allowed the ball to slip between his grasp and his left-hand upright.

West Brom remained dangerous on the counter, particularly when they were able to get Lukaku to run at Jamie Carragher and Sebastian Coates. Lukaku broke clear at one point, bringing a low save from Brad Jones. Yet the force appeared with Liverpool, especially when the ball was at the quick feet of Assaidi, who kept dribbling at Billy Jones, often darting inside to good effect.

Having been slow to get going in the first half, Liverpool were a minute late for the second period but were soon moving forward confidently. Yesil, increasingly influential, fired in a shot that totally bamboozled Foster, rearing up and going over.

Albion responded, charging downfield. Markus Rosenberg turned smarly on the edge of the area but Brad Jones was equal to the shot, saving athletically. The game flowed from end to end, soon Daniel Pacheco examining Foster's reflexes.

Clarke tried to force a breakthrough by freshening up his attack. He removed Lukaku and sent on Shane Long. But one familiar theme continued. Assaidi was still running at Billy Jones, winning a free-kick after 73 minutes. When Sahin curled the ball in, Coates snaked out a boot to flick the ball goalwards at speed but Foster saved well.

Sinclair then made history, running on with Suso after 78 minutes. It was Suso who began the move to Liverpool's second, sending Assaidi down the left. The Moroccan's cross was low and hard, fractionally in front of Sinclair but not for Sahin, who swept it into the roof of Foster's net.

West Bromwich Albion (4-2-3-1): Foster; Billy Jones, Tamas, Olsson, Ridgewell (Dawson 22); Thorne, Mulumbu; Fortune

(El Ghanassy 87), Dorrans, Rosenberg; Lukaku (Long 70).

Subs L Daniels, Yacob, McAuley, Berahino. Booked Mulumbu.

Liverpool (4-3-3): Brad Jones; Wisdom, Carragher, Coates, Robinson; Henderson, Sahin, Downing; Pacheco (Suso 81), Yesil (Sinclair 81), Assaidi. Subs Gulacsi, Wilson, Sterling, Coady, Sama. Booked Wisdom.