An outstanding performance from Liverpool against a woeful Watford saw the Reds come away from the early kickoff with a 5-0 win to take them temporarily back to the top of the table and, more importantly, assert their credentials as title contenders after a weakish performance against Manchester City before the international break put doubts in minds as to how far Jurgen Klopp’s men could go this season.
With Watford having sacked manager Xisco Munoz after the last round of Premier League games and installed veteran Claudio Ranieri as his replacement, Liverpool, with a number of players, such as Curtis Jones and Thiago Alcantara, out to injury or, in the case of Alisson Becker and Fabinho, stranded abroad after later World Cup qualifiers, would have been wary of what lay in store for them, anticipating not only Watford’s beleaguered players out to impress their new boss but also possibly distracted by the mammoth games against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and Manchester United in the league coming up.
However, Liverpool were at it from the start and the in-form Mo Salah from kickoff was giving former Leeds, Spurs and England left-back Danny Rose a torrid time, setting the tone for Liverpool’s dominance that lasted for the rest of the game. It was no surprise, therefore, on nine minutes, when Salah, from just inside the Watford half, played an exquisite, inch-perfect pass with the outside of his foot into the path of Sadio Mané who didn’t have to break stride or control the ball as he slotted passed the retreating and slightly out of position Ben Foster to give Liverpool the lead.
The Reds’ control of the game was total and they should have and could have scored several times more before they did get their second on 37 minutes when James Milner, playing in midfield, won the ball just inside the Watford half, exchanged passes with Mané, then crossed it from the byline for Roberto Firmino to tap in from a yard out.
A reaction from Watford in the second half was to be expected, but it was in fact Liverpool who came out with the greater determination and on 52 minutes Firmino scored his second and the Reds’ third after Andy Robertson swept a ball in from Liverpool’s left towards Mo Salah. The desperate interception from Craig Cathcart was saved by Foster but the ricochet fell right at the feet of the Brazilian striker who had an easy task to make the game all but safe for Liverpool.
Liverpool’s fourth goal on 54 minutes will go down in club folklore as one of the greatest ever scored for the Reds. Salah, laying claim to be the best player in the world, ahead of Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé and Lewandowski, picked the ball up on the right side of the Watford penalty area and was immediately surrounded by four defenders. With a jink, a pull back, a roll of the ball with his studs, then a dummy that the left Cathcart on his backside, Salah found the space he was looking for, before setting off a curling shot with his left foot into the corner of the net, so accurate in its execution that Foster didn’t even bother to dive to try and save it.
With the two big games coming up next week against Atletico Madrid and Man United, Klopp was able to make changes. Kostas Tsimikas came on Robertson, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain for Trent Alexander Arnold and Neco Williams for James Milner.
All three subs contributed to creating more chances for Liverpool and, indeed, it was good play from Williams down the right that, after he slid the ball across the six-yard box, allowed Firmino, with another tap in, to claim his hat-trick.
With Watford having sacked manager Xisco Munoz after the last round of Premier League games and installed veteran Claudio Ranieri as his replacement, Liverpool, with a number of players, such as Curtis Jones and Thiago Alcantara, out to injury or, in the case of Alisson Becker and Fabinho, stranded abroad after later World Cup qualifiers, would have been wary of what lay in store for them, anticipating not only Watford’s beleaguered players out to impress their new boss but also possibly distracted by the mammoth games against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and Manchester United in the league coming up.
However, Liverpool were at it from the start and the in-form Mo Salah from kickoff was giving former Leeds, Spurs and England left-back Danny Rose a torrid time, setting the tone for Liverpool’s dominance that lasted for the rest of the game. It was no surprise, therefore, on nine minutes, when Salah, from just inside the Watford half, played an exquisite, inch-perfect pass with the outside of his foot into the path of Sadio Mané who didn’t have to break stride or control the ball as he slotted passed the retreating and slightly out of position Ben Foster to give Liverpool the lead.
The Reds’ control of the game was total and they should have and could have scored several times more before they did get their second on 37 minutes when James Milner, playing in midfield, won the ball just inside the Watford half, exchanged passes with Mané, then crossed it from the byline for Roberto Firmino to tap in from a yard out.
A reaction from Watford in the second half was to be expected, but it was in fact Liverpool who came out with the greater determination and on 52 minutes Firmino scored his second and the Reds’ third after Andy Robertson swept a ball in from Liverpool’s left towards Mo Salah. The desperate interception from Craig Cathcart was saved by Foster but the ricochet fell right at the feet of the Brazilian striker who had an easy task to make the game all but safe for Liverpool.
Liverpool’s fourth goal on 54 minutes will go down in club folklore as one of the greatest ever scored for the Reds. Salah, laying claim to be the best player in the world, ahead of Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé and Lewandowski, picked the ball up on the right side of the Watford penalty area and was immediately surrounded by four defenders. With a jink, a pull back, a roll of the ball with his studs, then a dummy that the left Cathcart on his backside, Salah found the space he was looking for, before setting off a curling shot with his left foot into the corner of the net, so accurate in its execution that Foster didn’t even bother to dive to try and save it.
With the two big games coming up next week against Atletico Madrid and Man United, Klopp was able to make changes. Kostas Tsimikas came on Robertson, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain for Trent Alexander Arnold and Neco Williams for James Milner.
All three subs contributed to creating more chances for Liverpool and, indeed, it was good play from Williams down the right that, after he slid the ball across the six-yard box, allowed Firmino, with another tap in, to claim his hat-trick.
