Liverpool 2-0 Watford: 3 Reasons Why Reds won at home | Premier League 2019-20

Liverpool continued their solid start to the season, as a brace from Mohamed Salah either side of half time buoyed them on to a 2-0 victory against Watford at Anfield. For a brief period in the first half, Watford - under the stewardship of new coach Nigel Pearson - threatened to take control of proceedings when Abdoulaye Doucoure horrendously miscued a cut-back just six yards out.

Just to further epitomize the theory that down at the bottom even lady luck is not on your side, Ismaila Sarr - Watford's club-record signing - fluffed his lines from a similar position to draw level just after Liverpool's talisman Mohamed Salah opened the scoring with a neat right-footed volley.

Liverpool, despite looking largely lethargic for the large parts of the game, found a second late in the match courtesy of their Egyptian marksman, who picked up the pieces from Divock Origi's scuffed shot and flicked the ball past a gaping net to extend Liverpool's unbeaten start to their league campaign to 17 matches.

Here are three reasons why the Reds conjured up their 16th league win of the season.

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1. No complacency in the Reds camp

Liverpool FC v Watford FC - Premier League

It would have been easy for Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp - whom before kick-off were sitting pretty at the summit, 8 points clear of closest challengers Leicester City and a whopping 14 points ahead of Premier League champions Manchester City - to chop and change especially on the back of a difficult trip away to Red Bull Salzburg in the UEFA Champions League. While Liverpool ran out comfortable 2-0 winners in midweek, their encounter against bottom club Watford was not entirely convincing.

But Klopp has instilled a winning habit that seems to come naturally to these group of Liverpool players. Even on an extremely windy afternoon in which Liverpool mustered only 6 attempts on target against a Watford team with a point to prove, they did not relent and treated this match as reminder that nothing has been won yet.

2. Composed defending

Liverpool FC v Watford FC - Premier League

It is not often you see a 2-0 win being built on the back of great defensive unit instead of a moment of individual brilliance, but in this case, Liverpool's win was for the most part due to their composed defending. To further prove this point, this was the Reds' first clean sheet of the season at home. They shipped 19 goals at Anfield in all competitions this term before today.

Watford were the lowest scorers in the league, but there were moments in the match when the Reds appeared to play with their supporters' nerves. Ismaila Sarr wasted a glorious opportunity to draw level for the Hornets after Alisson had parried Deulofeu's cut-back into his path, then there was a near-calamitous backpass by Van Dijk in the second half which eventually rolled out of play and Liverpool were off the hook.

Despite those two give-away opportunities that Watford unsurprisingly failed to convert due to their appalling record in front of goal, Liverpool's back-line did fantastically well to keep Watford's attack quiet.

3. Mohamed Salah is back amongst the goals

Liverpool FC v Watford FC - Premier League

Liverpool's front three of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah remain the most fearsome trio for any Premier League defence. And when these three gifted athletes combine, there is bound to be only one answer. Goals, goals and more goals.

Watford did their bit to keep Mane and Firmino quiet in front of goal (Mane did have a goal correctly ruled out for offside by VAR). But that only left a gap for Salah to the damage and turn the game on its head. The Egyptian hasn't hit the dizzying heights of his fabulous campaign last time out but this was a reminder that you can count him off at your own peril.

Salah scored twice at both ends of the half to give Liverpool an uninspiring victory and three points to lead their march on their first Premier League title in 30 years.