SHOCKER match as Hornets provide a sting in the tale
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looked uncertain and vulnerable while reliable full-back Trent Alexanderarnold had a day to forget.
It was on this ground in 2017 that Liverpool’s Holy Trinity of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane were first unleashed on the Premier League.
All three scored that day in a 3-3 draw and in the 69 games since they’ve shared 105 goals.
Here, though, they looked like strangers and hardly had a sniff against a Watford defence who aren’t known for clean sheets.
Now they’re out of the bottom three on goal difference – and every one of boss Nigel Pearson’s men played their part.
Backed by noisy fans who were up for it like their team, Watford fought for their lives from the first whistle.
Gerard Deulofeu was the main early danger and could easily have scored in the opening minutes.
Sadly for Watford and the Spaniard his game was over before half-time after getting his studs caught in the turf in a challenge with Van Dijk.
The winger’s knee sickeningly twisted and he was stretchered off which could have major ramifications for Watford’s season if the injury to the former Barcelona and Everton star is as bad as it looked.
But The Hornets had Sarr – and Troy Deeney – and a desire that Liverpool just couldn’t match.
Sarr’s goals were superbly well taken, the first a near-post stab after Abdoulaye Doucoure outfoxed van
Dijk, the second a quality finish oneon-one with Alisson.
After giving away a two-goal lead to lose to Everton recently, inevitably there were Watford nerves and Adam Lallana’s shot against the post didn’t help.
But Deeney brought the house down with Watford’s third after Alexander-arnold’s shocking backpass to Sarr and the Hornets were home and dry.
If there’s any good news for Klopp it’s that among the myriad of possibilities, there’s a chance Liverpool could now win the title against City at the Etihad on April 5.
And after the season they’ve had, surely there couldn’t be a better place for Klopp’s men to be crowned champions.