Liverpool were up against Watford after a shocking loss to Crystal Palace. Though Liverpool could have taken some confidence that Klopp hasn’t lost back to back games in the Premier League. Though we can turn stats this way or that, because Watford was also the team that Klopp suffered his biggest loss to in his Liverpool tenure.
In terms of team news, there were hints that Adam Lallana would have started for Liverpool but it turns out that Lallana and Sturridge made it to the Liverpool bench.
Liverpool started off and were showing intent in the first fifteen minutes though as Coutinho raced forward he was fouled by Marriapa go brought him down and that meant it was an early introduction for England 2016 player of the year- Adam Lallana.
The Reds were up top in the opening stages in the first half as Can made room for himself and shot from distance which made Gomes draw a smart save to his left-hand side.
Liverpool were on top and should have scored in the 41st minute as a corner was half cleared by a Watford defender and there was Lallana on the edge of the box who volleyed it with his left foot which buzzed the bar as the Hornets somehow scrambled it away.
It wouldn’t take long for Liverpool to take the lead as Origi wins a throw in which is played to Lallana who skills past his defender to find Lucas who dinks the ball to Emre Can and Can pulls off an acrobatic overhead kick which can only be described as the goal of season as there was nothing that Prodl, and goalie Gomes could do rather than stand and admire the effort.
Liverpool showed the same exuberance in the second half as in the 76th minute as the Reds break and the ball’s whipped through for Lallana, who can’t control as Watford force away the danger.
85 minutes in, Liverpool made their second change as Origi made way for Daniel Sturridge and just minutes later Klavan replaced Lallana to give Liverpool the defensive cover as the transitioned into a 3-man defence.
Sturridge could have added his name next to Can as a brilliant effort and low shot was marginally saved by the Watford keeper.
Right at the death, Mazzarri threw Okaka on to salvage something from the game and it almost worked as Cleverly pinned a ball into the Liverpool box which wasn’t dealt by Liverpool as Prodl’s thunderous effort could only hit the bar.
That was it, Liverpool were victorious and this was a major step for them in their Champions League ambitions for next season and this week couldn’t have been better as all their rivals had dropped points.
