JAMIE CARRAGHER downplayed the flare-up with Alvaro Arbeloa that overshadowed a record-breaking victory for Liverpool.

Goals from Steven Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt earned Rafael Benitez’s side a 2-0 win at West Bromwich Albion yesterday.

It was enough to relegate the Baggies and move Liverpool on to 83 points, their highest-ever total in the Premier League era.

But the win was blighted by an ugly 80th-minute confrontation between Carragher and Arbeloa as the Anfield outfit withstood a late barrage from the home side.

The pair shoved each other in a heated exchange before Xabi Alonso acted as peacemaker with referee Martin Atkinson ultimately deciding not to censure either player. And Carragher said: “It was something and nothing. It happened in the heat of the moment. We have kissed and made up.

“It was nothing, honestly. It’s just one of those things that goes on from time to time. It’s forgotten.

“We can’t win the league now but there are a number of targets we can aim for. We wanted to keep a clean sheet and we want Pepe to have a chance of the Golden Glove for the third season running.

“Pepe is one behind van der Sar now and there’s a chance van der Sar won’t play next week, so we wanted to make sure he got a clean sheet today. To be honest we were a bit lackadaisical in our defending all through the game and they had too many chances.

“Maybe we took it a bit too easy and let them attack us too much, but that was one of the toughest games I’ve played in all season.”

Kuyt, whose 15th goal of the season ensured his best return since moving to Anfield three years ago, believes the bust-up illustrated Liverpool’s desire.

“It shows that the team always want to win even though we weren’t playing for anything,” said the Dutchman. “I think Jamie and Alvaro had a discussion about the situation. It was over in five seconds, and then after that everyone in the dressing room was happy because we’d won 2-0.”

Benitez admitted he was unimpressed by the altercation between two of his own players.