Liverpool moved four points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United with a vital 1-0 victory over Watford at Vicarage Road on Monday night. Emre Can’s stunning overhead kick settled the game in the Reds’ favour, as Jurgen Klopp’s men were provided a massive boost to their Champions League qualification chances.
The only real negative for Liverpool was an early injury sustained by Philippe Coutinho, who hobbled off to be replaced by Adam Lallana in the 13th minute. Watford came close to an equaliser through Sebastian Prodl late on, but the Merseysiders were ultimately good value for their win.
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#1 Moment of magic from Can needed to bring Liverpool victory
You will have to go a long way to find a better goal than Can’s here. After driving forward out of possession, the Germany international was picked out brilliantly by Lucas Leiva, but what came next was astonishing.
Still on the move, Can readjusted his body and unleashed an incredible acrobatic effort around 15 yards from goal, with Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes powerless to prevent the ball flying into the top corner.
It was always likely to take something special for the Reds to break the deadlock. They struggled to create chances for most of the first period, as Watford got players behind the line of the ball and refused to overcommit on their own forays forward.
A lack of midfield creativity and incisive passing from deep meant it was a pretty comfortable half for the Hornets, but Can’s stunning strike changed the dimension of the game and gave Liverpool something to hang onto.
From there, it was always going to be easier for Klopp’s charges to fashion more opportunities; after all, Liverpool thrive in transition and Watford’s need for a goal forced them to push up the pitch a little more. The visitors failed to add a second, though, meaning that Can finished as the deserved match-winner.
#2 Watford’s lack of plan B proves costly
Watford had won each of their three previous Premier League games without conceding a goal in front of their own supporters, but this proved a step too far. Walter Mazzarri set his side up in a 3-5-2 formation designed to frustrate Liverpool, with plenty of bodies packed in the centre of the pitch and the two wing-backs taking up conservative positions without the ball.
The approach worked well for much of the opening 45 minutes, although Watford fans would have wanted to see their team create a little more against opponents who have not exactly been known for their defensive solidity this campaign. As soon as Can scored, however, the game plan needed to change, yet Mazzarri was unable to engineer a turnaround with an alteration of personnel or tactics.
The lack of a plan B has been a familiar criticism of the Italian throughout his debut year in English football, and it is hard to shake the feeling that the former Napoli and Inter boss could have done much more to put Liverpool under greater pressure after the interval.
Instead, the Hornets did not record a shot from inside the box until the 68th minute, and although Prodl smashed the crossbar in stoppage time, Liverpool were pretty comfortable throughout.
#3 Liverpool’s defence stands up to physical challenge
Watford are one of the most physical teams in the Premier League and Liverpool were always going to need to stand up to that challenge across the pitch. The biggest potential flashpoint was probably the hosts’ strike partnership of the speedy M’Baye Niang and the burly Troy Deeney, but Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren at centre-back did a fine job of containing the threat.
Discussions related to defensive records tend to focus on the performances of the players stationed in the backline, but in reality, the task of trying to keep the ball out of your own net involves all 11 individuals on the pitch.
Liverpool’s customary harrying and hassling all over the field, therefore, contributed to their solidity against Watford, but it is only fair to highlight the contributions of Matip, Lovren and Simon Mignolet, who relieved pressure by claiming a number of crosses from both open play and set-piece situations, to keep their side’s ninth clean sheet of the campaign.
#4 Niang has talent but his career is approaching crossroads
Niang’s pace, skill and direct running was always likely to be important to Watford here, but Mazzarri’s men were unable to get the best out of him. Deeney often dropped back out of possession to provide another layer to the Hornets’ defensive shape, but that also meant that the on-loan Milan man was isolated at the top of the pitch far too often.
There were flashes of quality from Niang, including a terrific turn to win a free-kick in the opening stages, but his overall influence on proceedings was minimal: the 22-year-old had just one shot on goal, made only 18 passes and touched the ball 31 times – fewer than any other player who completed the 90 minutes.
It would, of course, be extremely harsh to blame Niang for failing to shine in a system which afforded him little support, but his stint at Vicarage Road has not really provided a definitive answer to the question of whether the Frenchman is good enough to play for a club with ambitions of challenging for silverware on a regular basis.
Niang’s time at Milan has been a mix of fantastic highs and underwhelming lows, and it will be interesting to see what his next step is in the summer.
#5 Liverpool now favourites for top-four finish
This was an essential triumph for Liverpool, particularly as top-four rivals Manchester United, Arsenal and Manchester City, all dropped points at the weekend. The Reds, who were relying on other teams slipping up when they lost 2-1 to Crystal Palace last time out, now have their fate back in their own hands.
With the finish line in sight, three wins from their three remaining fixtures against Southampton, West Ham United and Middlesbrough will be enough to see them qualify for next season’s edition of the Champions League.
Watford, meanwhile, will not yet have given up hope of securing a top-half finish in the first division for the first time in 30 years, although they are also just two points above Crystal Palace in 16th spot. It has been a satisfactory season for the Hornets, although the club’s fan base will probably be hoping for a little more excitement next time out.
