Watford vs Liverpool. Premier League.
Vicarage RoadAttendance21,634.
Report and free match highlights as Watford inflict a first league defeat on Liverpool since January 2019
Sunday 1 March 2020 15:36, UK
Watford caused a monumental upset after becoming the first team to beat Liverpool in the Premier League this season with Ismaila Sarr's second-half double helping to condemn the league leaders to a stunning 3-0 loss at Vicarage Road on Saturday.
Sarr nipped in to break the deadlock after 54 minutes, before then racing through to double the Hornets' lead six minutes later.
With 18 minutes left to play, Watford captain Troy Deeney rounded off an incredible 18-minute spell by taking advantage of yet more sluggish defending from the visitors to add a third.
Nigel Pearson's side move out of the relegation zone thanks to a first league win since January 12, while Liverpool remain 22 points ahead of Manchester City, albeit having now played a game more than the champions, after seeing their 44-game unbeaten league run come to an end in spectacular style.
Liverpool arrived in Hertfordshire needing just four more wins to claim a first top-flight title in 30 years, not that you would have known it from the opening 45 minutes.
The visitors produced a strangely laboured and disjointed display before the break as Watford - who started the match a massive 55 points behind the league leaders - harried them into distraction.
The returning Dejan Lovren - in for injured centre-back Joe Gomez for his first league start since December 7 - in particular looked rusty at the heart of the back-line in the first half, with Watford unfortunate not to be ahead at half-time.
Gerard Deulofeu curled one early effort inches over the bar, while minutes later Abdoulaye Doucoure had his close-range effort crucially blocked by Virgil van Dijk as the home team looked to get after their opponents.
It was Deulofeu who was causing Liverpool's defence most problems, that is until the Spanish forward came off worse after a clash with Van Dijk just past the half-hour mark that resulted in the influential player being stretchered off.
Watford came desperately close to taking the lead in first-half stoppage time after a scramble in the box saw Alisson spill the ball straight at the feet of Deeney, only for the Brazilian to make amends by reacting smartly to then block the striker's close-range effort.
Those first-half misses were not to matter, however, as Watford continued their dominance after the interval, deservedly opening the scoring nine minutes into the second half.
Lovren allowed a long throw to bounce in the box without realising Doucoure was behind him, with the midfielder then squaring for Sarr to convert from close range and the forward soon had a second.
Again there will be question marks over the Liverpool defence as Sarr latched on to Deeney's pass and raced clean through on goal, before keeping his cool to dink the ball over the advancing Alisson.
It was fitting that it was Deeney who added the icing on the cake after 72 minutes as Sarr intercepted Trent Alexander-Arnold's back pass, before squaring for his skipper to chip the ball into the unguarded net.
The forward struggled initially to make an impact after joining Watford from Rennes in a club-record deal last summer, that is until Pearson took over at Vicarage Road.
The new manager appears to have instilled Sarr with a new belief and confidence, as was seen with his dynamic performance against Liverpool on Saturday night.
The Senegal international firstly showed his nose for a goal after poaching the hosts' crucial opener early in the second half, before then showing great pace and a cool head to net his second minutes later.
And the 22-year-old then completed an outstanding evening's work by laying Watford's third goal on a plate for Deeney.
Nigel Pearson: "In the context of our season, it's a really important three points. We knew that we'd have to be at our best today and I think we were. Especially after last week (during 3-0 defeat to Manchester United) where we struggled to find any cohesion last week. So, today to bounce back in the way we have, I think is fantastic for us. To beat possibly the best club side in the world at the moment - well, not possibly, they are, is testament to how we played. So, it's very satisfying.
""It's just one game. We've got 10 games left and they are all going to be important. We've got to try and emulate what we've done today in terms of performance. But, I'm really proud of the players and they should be proud of how they've coped with a difficult situation. We've had a few weeks where we've not played, or the results aren't what we want."
Jurgen Klopp: "We were not good enough, simple as that," he told Sky Sports. "Watford did exactly what they wanted to do, we didn't do exactly what we should have done.
"First half was a lot of running, a lot of second balls, a lot of open situations, but we had more of the ball, but didn't cross at the right moment, didn't pass at the right moment because the positioning was not like it should have been.
"We changed at half-time and we started immediately better, but then we conceded a goal, so before we could get the benefit of the better start we conceded a goal from a throw-in.
"One-nil is not decisive if you react well, but then we conceded a second one. It's still not decisive, but then a third one, which we helped and had a big hand in. It was exactly the game, a lot of moments which Watford wanted. Congratulations. Really well done and well deserved. We have to accept it.
"The game was not clicking right today. It's like you could write a book and constantly talk, but it's not easy to reach the boys in these moments."
Former Liverpool captain Jamie Redknapp gave his view on Watford's shock 3-0 win over Liverpool.
"There were uncharacteristic mistakes out there from Liverpool," said the Sky Sports pundit. "Virgil van Dijk would normally do better for the first goal, and I think Watford had a game plan to make it really difficult for that back line.
"You do get off days, but Liverpool haven't had many - to be beaten so convincingly by Watford is a surprise but it's now about wrapping up the league as quickly as possible and forgetting about this one.
""They [Watford] were magnificent. To lose Deulofeu after 20 minutes after he looked their biggest threat. They kept going and showed no fear. They were aggressive and on the front foot from the off. This Watford team weren't scared. They were brilliant."
Virgil van Dijk gave Watford credit for the shock win - but admitted the result was "not acceptable" for Liverpool.
"First of all, credit to Watford," Van Dijk told Sky Sports. "They deserved it with the chances they created. They stuck to their plan. They scored three goals and I don't think we created too many chances. We want to look to ourselves and we have to improve again. It is a tough one to take.
"The last game was one set piece and one good goal. Today, we should be better. If you look at the whole season, we have been good defensively. I think we have the most clean sheets in the league. The good thing about our mentality is that we will work to improve. It is not acceptable that we lose here 3-0.
"Losing hurts. The records are for the media. We never mentioned it. We want to keep going and win the next game ahead of us and that is in the FA Cup and then we have Bournemouth at home. We want to strike back and show what we have been doing all season. That is the only way forward."
Watford face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the league a week on Saturday (3pm).
Meanwhile, Liverpool take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup fifth round on Tuesday night, before then hosting struggling Bournemouth at Anfield next Saturday lunch time.
