DEFENCE BEST FORM OF ATTACK AT ALBION

TONY PULIS admits there’s only one winner in a scoring match between West Brom’s defence and their attack – the stoppers. Veteran centre-back Gareth McAuley, 37, has matched £10million striker Salomon Rondon’s total of seven goals this season. And although the Venezuelan is one ahead in the Premier League, he has gone 17 games without finding the target. Craig Dawson, one of McAuley’s partners in goals at the back, has bagged three – one behind winger Matt Phillips and two adrift of Nacer Chadli, while central defender Jonny Evas has one to his name. Should the Baggies fail to hit the target against Liverpool tomorrow, they will have gone four games without scoring – the club’s longest barren stretch since 2003. Albion have hit 35 efforts in their last two games, but only eight have found the target. Boss Pulis said of McAuley (above) and his other defenders with the golden touch: “We’ve needed them. If you have a look at the goals, they’ve been shared round the team. “One of the big objectives next season is to get more firepower. I think they’re competitive between themselves. Evans is eager to catch up with Gareth and Craig.” Pulis is eager to keep his record of never losing at home to a top-four club at West Brom, Crystal Palace and Stoke in nine matches. “I was hoping that wouldn’t be brought up but let’s hope that continues,” he said. Pulis, 59, has settled a £3.77m bill to Crystal Palace after losing a High Court appeal last year, and must also pay about £2m in legal costs, taking his final amount to about £5.8m. Asked if he was ready to talk about the settlement, he said: “Not yet but I will do. Don’t you worry about that.”