Can's Acrobatic Winner Stuns Watford

Sports - Football - Premier League - WFC 0:1 LFC

Emre Can's extraordinary acrobatic volley, his fifth goal of the season, decided an otherwise ordinary game at Watford, handing Liverpool a crucial 0-1 away win in their race to stay in the Premier League top four.

The German midfielder stunned everyone at Vicarage Road, meeting Lucas Leiva's cross with a beautiful right-footed overhead bicycle-kick into the top-left corner, giving goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes no chance, two minutes into stoppage time before the break.

That has taken the Reds' goal tally in the last 15 minutes before the interval to 16 this season, more than any other side, one more than Manchester United and Tottenham.

Before that, not much else happened, both sides recording just a shot on target each, Can with another strong attempt from 25 yards out in the 20th minute, but not much else to worry either keeper much.

Adam Lallana, who had to be brought on for an injured Philippe Coutinho in the 13th minute returning from injury himself after five matches out, had come closest just a few minutes before Can's stunner, seeing his attempt from outside the box come off the crossbar.

The second half was dominated by both keepers' strong displays, strength and presence.

Gomes denied James Milner, Divock Origi and then substitute Daniel Sturridge late on in a tense ending to the game.

Simon Mignolet kept solid as well, frustrating the Hornets, Etienne Capoue and Sebastian Prödl especially, who both were booked for their anger at the decisions that went against them, the latter also seeing his effort come off the crossbar in the final seconds.

Vicarage Road was loud, the away end even louder, louder than Anfield last week after the miserable defeat against Crystal Palace, YNWA echoing around the ground at the end.

Both managers Walter Mazzarri and Jürgen Klopp made themselves heard and seen throughout the game as well, with shouts and gestures, to keep everyone entertained when not much else was happening on the pitch.

The result sees Watford drop to 13th on 40 points with a game in hand on the other teams around them, whilst Liverpool remain third three and four points ahead of Manchester City and United in fourth and fifth respectively, both with a game in hand.

So, after all the other results went their way, as long as the Reds keep winning their final three league games and don't repeat an embarrassing slip up like against Crystal Palace, the Champions League qualification is in their hands!

The last three games are: Southampton at home (Sunday 7th May), West Ham away (Sunday 14th May) and Middlesbrough at home (Sunday 21st May). Easy. You would think.

It never is easy with Liverpool though!

Liverpool Goal: Can 45'+2'.

Watford Team: 1 Gomes, 6 Mariappa, 5 Prödl (booked), 3 Britos (27 Kabasele 19'), 7 Amrabat (33 Okaka 85'), 29 Capoue (booked) (10 Success 73' (booked)), 16 Doucouré, 8 Cleverley, 22 Janmaat, 9 Deeney, 21 Niang.
Subs not used: 11 Behrami, 18 Zuñiga, 30 Pantilimon, 42 Eleftheriou.

Liverpool Team: 22 Mignolet, 2 Clyne, 32 Matip, 6 Lovren, 7 Milner, 21 Lucas (booked), 5 Wijnaldum, 23 Can, 11 Firmino, 27 Origi (15 Sturridge 84'), 10 Coutinho (20 Lallana 13' (17 Klavan 87')).
Subs not used: 1 Karius, 16 Grujic, 18 Moreno, 66 Alexander-Arnold.

HT & FT Match Stats: WFC-LFC
Score: 0-1 & 0-1
Possession: 36%-64% & 40%-60%
Shots: 3-5 & 9-12
On target: 1-2 & 2-8
Corners: 1-1 & 3-5
Fouls: 4-4 & 11-9
Bookings: 0-1 & 3-1

Referee: Craig Pawson
Man of the match: Emre Can
Ground: Vicarage Road
Attendance: 20,959

Click here for my last LFC match report.

All pictures and stats are taken from the BBC match report.

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 

Top Blues lose - Pompey get consolation win

Sports - Football - Premier League - Picks of the Weekend

Champs: Arsenal showed showed team strength and attitude, unity and stamina - so too did Manchester City and Portsmouth. All three of them were put into a situation where other teams would have given up and crumbled but they fought on and got what they deserved - victory.

Hero: Tottenham's goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes made a couple of spectacular saves. Everton will feel unlucky having got nothing out of the match. Liverpool's win against Blackburn summarized their season and problem of how much they have to rely on Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to hit the net and net the points for them.

You Beauty! Martin Paterson's equalizer for Burnley against Portsmouth was a sleek showpiece. It was one of those elegant, back-foot flicks, that you will find in any selection of best goals. Tottenham's second against Everton was a fine combination of their Croatian trio.

Has-Beens: Where were Chelsea? They seemed to have forgotten where they and their heads stood. Manchester City cut them open and they could not recover. From the non-existent handshake, some (Henrique) Hilario(s) bloopers, to some red cards and heads - just nothing went their way.

Zero: I think both Wayne Bridge and John Terry should get a grip! The prior's actions I found childish (the non-existent handshake mentioned above), the latter's battered dog-face and fragile display I saw as crude. Both should be more mature and professional and get on with it.

Ouch! I need not mention the most painful incident of the weekend. I just cannot believe it is strike three for Arsenal. After Vassiriki Abou Diaby and Eduardo, now it hit Aaron Ramsey. In all three incidences, you cannot say the fowls were committed with malice, but nonetheless, they are career-threatening tackles and thereby require hard penalties as a consequence.

My Predictions - Actual Results

Birmingham 2:1 Wigan - 1:0

Bolton 1:0 Wolves - 1:0

Burnley 2:0 Portsmouth - 1:2

Chelsea 3:2 Man City - 2:4

Stoke City 1:1 Arsenal - 1:3

Liverpool 2:0 Blackburn - 2:1

Sunderland 1:1 Fulham - 0:0

Tottenham 2:0 Evert0n - 2:1