QUAD SQUAD
Trophy trail’s a treat for Klopp
JURGEN KLOPP shrugged off suggestions Liverpool might be feeling the pressure of their Quadruple bid, insisting his team are exactly where they want to be. The Reds briefly went top of the Premier League as a Diogo Jota header and Fabinho penalty sealed a somewhat nervy victory over Watford.
Klopp said: “If somebody had told us in the summer that early April we would be in the situation we are in – in all competitions and won one trophy, with a full squad available – we all would have taken it.the only better situation could be if we were 20 points ahead of Manchester City but that’s not possible.”
Butwatford were up for the fight as Cucho Hernandez headed a corner into the hands of Alisson Becker.
Their best chance fell to
Juraj Kucka, who was played through on goal but failed to beat the onrushing Alisson.
That failure was almost immediately punished as Joe
Gomez, standing in for Trent Alexander-arnold, produced a cross his fellow defender might have envied for Jota to score his 20th Reds goal this season.
Jota almost had a second before half-time from Joel Matip’s delicious flick but keeper Ben Foster did well.
Watford had the better of the opportunities after the break, Joao Pedro curling inches wide of the far post.
Liverpool sealed it after Kucka grappled with Jota.
Fabinho dispatched the spot-kick after a lengthyvar check but Hornets boss Roy Hodgson said: “The referee didn’t see it, Jurgen asked me what was happening, not one Liverpool player complained. It leaves a rather unpleasant taste in the mouth.”