WAT THE HELL WAS THAT?
Klopp’s left shocked as his champions-elect are devastatingly stung by drop-zone Hornets
LIVERPOOL’S air of invincibility was blown away at Vicarage Road.
Watford’s £30million club-record Senegalese forward Ismaila Sarr bagged a double, before setting up a killer third goal for skipper Troy Deeney, as Nigel Pearson’s side laid waste to Jurgen Klopp’s champions-elect.
It was Liverpool’s first Premier League defeat of the season – and the first time their colours had been lowered in 45 league games stretching back to that devastating loss at Manchester City last January.
It also halted their bid to rack up a record 19th successive, top-flight victory. Klopp said: “They did exactly what they wanted to do, we did not. That’s how football works.
“You have to accept it, it’s not so easy, but it’s the proof we were not good enough.”
And defender Virgil van Dijk said: “The whole season we haven’t lost a game like this. They did very, very well and we should have done better – we want to strike back straight away.”
Liverpool, though, are still a staggering 22 points clear at the top of the table. And this defeat could now hand them the chance to clinch their club’s first title in 30 years against City at the Etihad on April 5 – FA Cup commitments permitting.
Watford’s need for the points was even more pressing than Liverpool’s after picking up just one point from their previous four games.
This victory took them out of the bottom three and will give them the belief they can pull further away from trouble in the coming weeks.
All three of
Watford’s goals came in an incredible second half.
Sarr, who arrived from French club Rennes last summer, opened the scoring in the 54th minute.
Abdoulaye Doucoure muscled his way beyond Van Dijk as they tussled for Adam Masina’s looping long throw.
And when he crossed low into the heart of Liverpool’s six-yard box, Sarr smuggled himself ahead of Andy Robertson to score.
Six minutes later, he beat Kop keeper Alisson Becker again.
Will Hughes and Deeney combined to put Sarr clear and his lifted finish over Alisson was reminiscent of countryman Sadio Mane at his clinical best.
Deeney put the Watford fans in dreamland on 72 minutes.
This time, Sarr was the provider, intercepting Trent Alexander-Arnold’s
poor backpass and setting up his skipper to loft into an unguarded goal with a touch of class.
Nigel Pearson (left) and his men deserved everything they got. Apart from a thumping effort by substitute Adam Lallana that smashed against the post, they were able to hold Liverpool at bay with some ease.
It was at Vicarage Road in August 2017 that Klopp unleashed Mo Salah (far left), Roberto Firmino and Mane.
All three scored in a 3-3 draw and have bagged 105 goals between them in the 70 Premier League games they have been in tandem. Apart from a Salah shot that flew into the side netting, the trio were largely anonymous.
It was clear that Watford’s game plan was to surrender possession and territory to the visitors in the hope they could expose them on the break. Gerard Deulofeu thought he had done that when he cut inside AlexanderArnold before flashing a shot high.
There was more encouragement when Deulofeu again embarrassed Alexander-Arnold, but Doucoure’s shot was blocked by Fabinho.
Watford’s cause wasn’t helped when Deulofeu’s right knee buckled after tangling with Van Dijk and the Spanish winger was carried off, gulping oxygen.
Alexander-Arnold was lucky to escape serious damage when Deeney caught him with a reckless lunge that might have gone to VAR, but didn’t even bring a yellow card.
Watford went close before the break when Alisson spilled the ball and
Deeney looped a shot a fraction wide. When Robertson forced Watford keeper Ben Foster into his first save in the second half, it seemed Liverpool were beginning to rouse themselves. But then they were flattened by Sarr. The forward could have claimed the match-ball shortly after Deeney had scored the third goal, but guided his shot wide when clean through.
WATFORD: Foster 7, Femenia 7, Kabasele 7, Cathcart 7, Masina 7, Hughes 8, Capoue 8, Sarr 8 (Pussetto 82, 6), Doucoure 8 (Chalobah 89), Deulofeu 7 (Pereyra 37, 6), Deeney 7.
Subs not used: Gomes, Dawson, Welbeck, Gray.
LIVERPOOL: Alisson 5, Alexander-Arnold 6, Lovren 5, Van Dijk 6, Robertson 5, Oxlade-Chamberlain 6 (Origi 65, 5), Fabinho 6, Wijnaldum 5 (Lallana 61, 6), Salah 5, Firmino 5 (Minamino 79, 5), Mane 5. Subs not used: Adrian, Origi, Matip, Jones, Hoever.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Ismaila Sarr. Two quality finishes from Watford’s record signing.
REFEREE: Michael Oliver 6.