Monday, 7 November 2016

Liverpool TOP after thrashing Watford

Sports - Football - Premier League - LFC 1:6 WFC

The Reds went top of the Premier League for the first time under manager Jürgen Klopp after destroying Watford 6-1 at Anfield. And it could have been more.



Hornets keeper Heurelho Gomes had already made some fine stops against Lucas Leiva, Roberto Firmino hit the bar and missed a sitter and Philippe Coutinho had sent another chance wide.

With 25 minutes gone, it looked like it wasn't going to be Liverpool's day, Walter Mazzarri's men sticking to their job and frustrating the home side.

Sadio Mané broke the dead lock, finally, in the 27th minute, with an acrobatic header off a corner.

Three minutes later, his Brazilian team mate Coutinho doubled the lead, drilling in his fifth league goal of the season from 20 yards out, beating/ignoring/defying four defenders in front of him.

To make things worse for the visitors, at 2-0 down, just over half an hour gone, Gomes had to be replaced due to injury, Costel Pantilimon forced to take over the challenge.

Emre Can made it 3-0 before the break, heading in Adam Lallana's cross after a great run and ball in from the right, with all the space in the world, no chance for the sub-keeper.

The 6'8'' stopper did glove James Milner's free kick high and out to keep it "just" 3-0 at half time, although Lucas and Firmino could and should have combined for more, but to Watford's relief they messed it up and missed out.

Liverpool kept pushing and pressing after the break despite the comfortable lead.

And it was Coutinho and Lallana, given way too much space in and around the box off a free kick, the latter's cut-back finding and providing Firmino with an easy and comfortable chance to put away and make it 4-0.

And the Brazilian provided the next goal with a fine run and turn in the box, to Mané, who made no mistake of slotting it in and making it two for him and five for Liverpool.

Red keeper Loris Karius did not have much to do, but did deny Etienne Capoue after a one-on-one, with Milner's help, before Watford did pull one back, a consolation goal, destroying the much-wanted clean sheet.

Daryl Janmaat kept his cool, collected and netted the ball into the bottom left after Milner went down too easily in the build-up. Just a consolation goal, meaning Klopp's men have only kept one clean sheet in the league this season though.

But the Reds didn't (and don't) have to care about that atm - Daniel Sturridge had come on replacing Lallana and was causing even more havoc, striking the bar TWICE!

Georgino Wijnaldum netted the sixth for Liverpool after Sturridge was denied TWICE by Pantilimon, for the Dutchman to score his first goal for the club off the rebound in stoppage time.

6-1 was the final score, 17-8 shots on target, 17 being the most shots on target recorded in the Premier League since 2003.

It's Watford's joint heaviest defeat in the Premier League with a 5-0 defeat against Wimbledon in December 1999.

The Hornets conceded more goals in this game against the Reds than they had in their past six Premier League matches combined (5)!

So, this all proves, the Reds are on fire and high flying, top of the Premier League for the international break. Einfach nur geil! BOOM! XxXxX

Liverpool Goals: Mané 27' & 60', Coutinho 30', Can 43', Firmino 57' & Wijnaldum 90'+1'.

Watford Goal: Janmaat 75'.

Liverpool Team: 1 Karius; 7 Milner, 32 Matip, 21 Lucas, 2 Clyne; 20 Lallana (15 Sturridge 70'), 14 Henderson (c), 23 Can; 19 Mané (5 Wijnaldum 62' (booked 85')), 11 Firmino, 10 Coutinho (53 Ejara 87'). 4-3-3
Subs not used: 22 Mignolet, 17 Klavan, 18 Moreno, 27 Origi.

Watford Team: 1 Gomes (30 Pantilimon 33'); 25 Holebas (booked 56'), 3 Britos (booked 80'), 4 Kaboul, 22 Janmaat; 37 Pereyra (18 Zuniga 86'), 29 Capoue, 11 Behrami (23 Watson 62'), 7 Amrabat; 9 Deeney (c), 24 Ighalo. 4-4-2
Subs not used: 6 Mariappa, 17 Guedioura, 19 Sinclair, 27 Kabasele.

Match Stats: Liverpool-Watford 1st & 2nd half
Attempts: 15-4 & 28-11
On target: 9-2 & 17-8
Corners: 4-0 & 6-3
Free kicks: 5-8 & 10-14
Bookings: 0-0 & 1-2
Possession: 59%-41% & 60%-40%

Referee: Michael Oliver
Man of the match: Philippe Coutinho
Attendance: 53,163

Pictures taken from BBC match report

Click here for my previous LFC match report 

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