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Roberto Firmino v Younes Kaboul: The key battle when Liverpool face Watford

Firmino Kaboul
Image: Will Roberto Firmino or Younes Kaboul emerge victorious at Anfield?

Liverpool's flying attack meets Watford's solid defence on Sunday, but will Roberto Firmino or Younes Kaboul come out on top?

Liverpool and Watford meet on Sunday, both hoping that November proves as successful a month as October.

These were two of the six Premier League teams unbeaten last month, and apart from Chelsea, no side scored more than Liverpool's eight goals, nor conceded fewer than Watford's two goals in October.

Roberto Firmino and Younes Kaboul were key to their respective team's impressive records.

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Watch Roberto Firmino score in Crystal Palace 2-4 Liverpool

Liverpool are the only club with as many as six players who have scored and assisted at least once this season. Firmino is among those, with four goals and one assist all coming in his last six appearances, having started the season without a goal or assist in his opening three games.

Most Premier League goal involvements for Liverpool 2016/17

Player Goals Assists Combined
Philippe Coutinho 4 4 8
Sadio Mane 4 2 6
Adam Lallana 3 3 6
Roberto Firmino 4 1 5
James Milner 4 1 5
Jordan Henderson 1 2 3

With so much attacking talent at Liverpool's disposal, Watford will have their work cut out if they are to continue their current run of three successive clean sheets. Four in a row would set a new top division club record for the Hornets.

Younes Kaboul climbs highest to win an aerial challenge
Image: Younes Kaboul out-jumps his Middlesbrough opponents

Playing on the right of their back three, Kaboul has helped shore up a Watford defence that went from conceding seven goals in his first three appearances for the club to none in the last three.

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Younes Kaboul's six Premier League appearances for Watford

First 3 appearances Last 3 appearances
Points 4 7
Goals conceded 7 0
Clean sheets 0 3
Shots faced 40 29
Shots on target faced 13 10

The 30-year-old Frenchmen has proved something of a lucky charm in 2016. In 17 games for Sunderland (11) and Watford (six) combined, Kaboul has played in only three defeats. He lost to champions Leicester in April and against Man City in Pep Guardiola's first match in charge in August with Sunderland, and was defeated by Arsenal on his Watford debut.

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Despite Kaboul playing for two less heralded teams, plenty of players from title-challenging clubs have tasted defeat more often in 2016, including Firmino who has lost four of his 24 Premier League appearances this year.

Younes Kaboul's Premier League record in 2016

Stat Total
Appearances 17
Wins 6
Draws 8
Defeats 3
Defeat % 18%
Team goals conceded 18
Clean sheets 7

However, Firmino is unparalleled in the Premier League for sprinting stats - he has recorded 37 more sprints than any other player this season, and is crucial in setting the tone for Jurgen Klopp's much publicised high-pressing style.

Most Premier League sprints this season

Player Team Sprints
Roberto Firmino Liverpool 693
Raheem Sterling Man City 656
Sadio Mane Liverpool 648
Nathaniel Clyne Liverpool 628
Eden Hazard Chelsea 628
Nathan Redmond Southampton 628
Diego Costa Chelsea 627

Firmino's top speed this season of 32.2km/h is - perhaps surprisingly - one that Kaboul has surpassed with a personal top speed of 33.2km/h, set against Bournemouth in October.

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But whether Kaboul is able to match Firmino's relentless running could be an important factor if Watford are to keep free-scoring Liverpool at bay and pull off a shock result at Anfield.