Liverpool blew the chance to build up a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table on Sunday as Semi Ajayi’s header eight minutes from time earned West Brom a shock 1-1 draw at Anfield, AFP reported.

Although the Baggies remain second bottom of the table, they gave their chances of survival a huge boost by becoming the first visiting side to take even a point at Anfield in the league this season in Sam Allardyce’s second match in charge — after he replaced Slaven Bilic two weeks ago.

Sadio Mane opened the scoring for Liverpool at the 12-minute mark, but Jurgen Klopp’s men lived to regret not making most of a dominant first-half display to give the chasing pack in the title race an unexpected boost.

The defending champions move three points clear at the top of the table, but just four points separate Everton in second from Southampton in ninth manifesting the topsy-turvy season.

Englishman Allardyce was the last visiting manager to win a Premier League game at Anfield, when in charge of Crystal Palace back in April 2017, and the former England manager is now unbeaten in his last four away games against Klopp’s men with three different clubs.

The Baggies set out to limit the sort of damage suffered by Crystal Palace last weekend in a 7-0 battering inflicted by Liverpool, but could barely get out of their half before the break.

Mane ended his longest drought of nine games without a goal as a Liverpool player against Palace and showed his sharpness in front of goal is back with a brilliant touch to control and finish from Joel Matip’s pass.

That could and should have opened the floodgates for Klopp’s men given their level of control before the break.

A series of dangerous crosses from Andy Robertson failed to find the finishing touch, while Mane headed just wide from Jordan Henderson’s delivery.

However, Liverpool’s failure to put the game beyond West Brom’s reach led to a nervy second-half.

The Reds suffered another injury blow at the centre-back position as Matip pulled up with a muscle problem and had to be replaced by 19-year-old Rhys Williams with Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez already in the long-term injury absentee list.

Williams was penalised for an innocuous foul with his first involvement, sparking a furious reaction from Klopp, which saw the German booked by referee Kevin Friend.

Despite their lowly position in the table, West Brom have already taken points off Manchester City and Chelsea this season.

Allardyce’s game plan to stay in the game as long as possible worked to perfection as West Brom began to threaten in the final quarter.

Karlan Grant outpaced Williams to burst clear on goal 20 minutes from time, but Alisson Becker spread himself brilliantly to block.

Ajayi was denied his first Premier League goal when his strike away to City in a 1-1 draw earlier this month was credited as a Ruben Dias own goal.

But he repeated the trick and this time got the credit with a powerful header in off the inside of the post that this time left Alisson helpless.

Liverpool have made a habit of winning games late in the past two seasons, most recently when Roberto Firmino’s injury-time header powered them past Tottenham in a 2-1 victory in their last outing at Anfield.

The Brazilian nearly did it again at the death, but his downward header was brilliantly saved by Sam Johnstone, who has been brilliant so far this season.