West Bromwich Albion earned a first win at Anfield in 45 years on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over Liverpool that saw the hosts continue their recent poor league run.
Liverpool dominated the game and created enough chances to score a handful of goals, but instead it was Peter Odemwingie who netted the winner in the 75th minute to give West Brom manager Roy Hodgson a satisfying return to his former club.
''It really was a magnificent rearguard action and the other great satisfaction for me today, of course, was the support I got from both sets of fans,'' said Hodgson, who was sacked by Liverpool last year after a six-month stint in charge. ''I was a bit concerned coming back here. Everyone said 'you'll get a decent reception' and I was really pleased they treated me so well.
''Obviously I didn't repay them too well by coming away with a victory but it was nice that both sets of fans today gave me the reception that I was really rather hoping for.''
His replacement at Liverpool, Kenny Dalglish, was left ruing his team's problems in front of goal after twice hitting the woodwork and wasting a slew of other opportunities.
Liverpool have won just one Premier League game at home in 2012 and scored only six goals in seven matches. Playing without the injured Steven Gerrard on Sunday, the Reds dominated possession but again couldn't convert that into goals.
Dirk Kuyt, whose future at Anfield has been the subject of much speculation this week, set the tone in the 10th minute by dragging a shot wide when he had to at least hit the target. Luis Suarez's cross-shot failed to either test goalkeeper Ben Foster or find a teammate in the six-yard area and when he did have a shot parried by Foster, the rebound was blazed over by Rodriguez.
Andy Carroll headed wide, Suarez nodded a looping effort onto the roof of the net and Daniel Agger had a close-range shot turned behind.
West Brom were restricted to two chances in the first half, but Liverpool needed a brilliant save from Pepe Reina - returning after a three-match suspension - to keep the visitors from going 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.
Liverpool kept pressing after the break, with Jordan Henderson smashing a shot against the crossbar with Foster well beaten. Suarez produced a trademark weaving run along the byline before firing over, with Rodriguez also volleying into the Kop.
West Brom struck in the 75th, after Glen Johnson's attempts to wriggle out of a tight spot deep on the right of defense saw him give the ball away to Youssouf Mulumbu, who played in Odemwingie to shoot past Reina.
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.
Liverpool's onslaught continued, with Jonas Olsson blocking a certain goal for Carroll and Foster claiming Suarez's narrow-angle shot at the second attempt.
