UK Edition
Watford 3 Liverpool 3: Miguel Britos scrambles home controversial injury-time equaliser in six-goal thriller
Whatever it was the Premier League defenders were doing over the summer it was not improving their defending.
After Friday’s seven-goal opener to the season, came another six at Vicarage Road. And had Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini or Fabio Cannevaro been in attendance as the self-proclaimed finest league in the world got under way, the great Italian defenders would have wondered what on earth had happened to the dark art of keeping a clean sheet.
For Liverpool, seemingly heading back north with three points banked from their first away encounter of the season, this was a particularly calamitous defensive performance.
The nadir came in the third minute of injury time. Watford, a goal down and time running out, won a corner after Miguel Britos’s sharp shot had been saved by Simon Mignolet. Jose Holebas sent what looked to be a wasteful set-piece short into the Liverpool area. But as Giorginio Wijnaldum flailed at the ball, it fell into the path of Nordin Amrabat, who scooped it goalwards for Britos, apparently well offside, to bundle home.
Standing in his technical area Jurgen Klopp looked utterly crestfallen. His side had been undone by incompetence, snatching a draw from the teeth of victory. It might be a new season, but some things don’t change.
“We know we can do better. We have to do better,” said Klopp.
The home supporters had warmed up for the match with a loud chorus of “Where is Coutinho?” But the absence of the transfer-seeking Brazilian, sidelined with a convenient back strain, could not be blamed for the calamitous way Liverpool started.
After all, the diminutive playmaker has never been the first line of protection at a corner. And here those charged with defending their line seemed to lose all sense of responsibility. After just nine minutes Joel Matip, Dejan Lovren and Roberto Firminho all appeared rooted to the turf as Stefano Okaka steamed in to head home.
In truth, the red defence was not isolated in its sluggishness. All round the pitch Liverpool began the game second to the ball, bullied by a Watford side epitomised by Italian striker Okaka.
Mohammed Salah, making his debut on the right of the Liverpool attack, found himself initially smothered by the foresquare Holebas. Tom Cleverley and Nathaniel Chalobah, the former loanees now making their first appearance together as full-time signings, were running the midfield for Watford. Liverpool looked under-cooked and under-whelming all over the pitch.
“I was not happy with the first half,” Klopp admitted. “It was very physical and Watford was too often the winner.”
Whatever Liverpool’s frailties, however, any side with Sadio Mane in it is always likely to have its moments. He scored a superb equaliser, exchanging a deft series of passes with Firminho before stealing into the Watford penalty area and steering the ball expertly past Heurelho Gomes.
But parity was not maintained for long. Five minutes later, Cleverley won the ball all too easily in midfield, strode forward and steered a bending cross into the Liverpool box. It might have been cleared, but it wasn’t. The ball fell to the excellent Abdoulaye Doucoure who stabbed it home.
Klopp must have worked furiously at half-time, applying an alarm clock to his dozing players. Because, aided by Watford being obliged to replace two players with injuries, as first Daryl Janmaat then Roberto Pereyra crumpled to the turf clutching their shins, within moments of the restart Liverpool were back in it. In a sequence of passing that might well become a staple of their tactical approach this season (especially if Coutinho does leave for Barcelona) Mane found Firminho who sent Salah tearing into the Watford box. Gomes seemed slow to note the danger. And by the time the goalkeeper arrived at the forward’s ankles the ball had gone and the forward was sent flying. A penalty was rightly awarded which Firminho expertly converted.
No more than two minutes later, Liverpool were in the lead. Lovren released Firminho whose beautifully judged chip to the far post was perfectly guided into the net by Salah.
Klopp’s tactical approach of if you score two we’ll score three seemed to have achieved its aim. With Chalobah and Cleverley fading in their influence, Liverpool began to exercise in control. In the away stand the visiting fans were running through their songbook. But then, with seconds left, came the corner Klopp must have been dreading.
“When you analyse your opponents, you analyse the moments you can achieve something more,” said the Watford manager Marco Silva. “Every set-piece makes a difference.”
He was right there. And while aesthetics might have been challenged, while the equalising goal might have redefined the word scrappy, it was enough to spark wild celebrations among the Watford faithful. Relief can be an intoxicating brew.
For Klopp there was only disappointment. Plus the certainty that ahead of the Champions League qualifier on Tuesday, he will need to do some work on defending corners.
At the moment we have only one point,” he said. “I wait for the moment when I will feel better about that.”
85 minutes
James Milner ready to enter the fray for Liverpool. Salah sets Mane free down the left, who stands on the ball assessing his options and picks out Mane on the edge of the box. Ball was running across his body so it was difficult, but he should have done better than skew a side-footed effort wide.
73 minutes
Applause rings around Vicarage Road in honour of Graham Taylor.
Mignolet and Lovren get themselves in an almighty mess. Lovren decides not to head a chipped ball into the box, but Mignolet neither punches or catches but the ball does not break Watford's way. Scary stuff if you're a Liverpool fan.
65 minutes
Better from Watford as Gray gets in a footrace with Lovren. Last ditch defending by Liverpool but they scramble Amrabat's cross away. Positive start by Gray, though.
Holebas shows quick feet to wriggle out of the left-hand corner and win a free-kick with after a foul by Salah. Cleared by Liverpool.
63 minutes
Andre Gray replaces Okaka up front but Watford look all over the place at present: giving the ball away cheaply and offering Liverpool the counter-attacking chances they were not getting in the first half.
CLOSE! Liverpool almost score their fourth - Matip rising at the near post to meet Firmino's near-post corner but his glancing header strikes the bar.
That is known in the trade as a stone-wall penalty
As soon as Salah got his left foot to the ball before the on-rushing Gomes it always looked like being a penalty. Roberto Firmino stepped up and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, sweeping into the left-hand corner.
Andre Gray ready to come on for Watford.
Another Premier League comedy unfolding
Before we had time to breathe, Watford are back in front. Doucoure nipped in to pinch a loose ball just outside the Liverpool area, and fed the overlapping Amrabat. His ball across the box ricocheted between Matip and Alexander-Arnold, presenting Doucoure with a tap-in from six yards out.
22 minutes
Strong work from Wijnaldum in midfield, winning the ball back and releasing Salah but the Egyptian is a few yards offside. Not quite the usual vibrancy in Liverpool's play at the moment. Much of their game is about harrying teams into errors, but Watford have played it safe and not turned the ball over much in their own half.
Marco Silva
Sky Sport's Jamie Redknapp says Silva was 'fortunate' to get this job after taking Hull down last season, a sentiment that has been echoed by other pundits.
There are echoes of Roberto Martinez, who landed the Everton job after being relegated with Wigan Athetlic in 2013, though there was the small matter of winning the FA Cup.
Hull looked a better coached team after Silva arrived on Humberside, and Watford are banking on him to stabilise them in the top flight.
Team news
Watford:Gomes, Janmaat, Britos, Kaboul, Holebas, Chalobah, Cleverley, Doucoure, Amrabat, Okaka, Pereyra.
Subs: Gray, Richarlison, Prodl, Femenia, Watson, Capoue, Pantilimon.
Liverpool: Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Lovren, Moreno, Can, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Subs: Karius, Milner, Gomez, Grujic, Klavan, Origi, Solanke.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
Hello and welcome...
Good morning and welcome to live coverage of Liverpool's opening Premier League game away at Watford, which has an awful lot to live up to after the Friday night escapades at the Emirates.
Liverpool's win at Vicarage Road courtesy of Emre Can's acrobatic goal-of-the-season contender was a crucial step on the path to Champions League football last season, and given the chatter around Anfield presently they would surely sign up for another 1-0 win.
Reports emerged yesterday that Philippe Coutinho formally asked to leave Liverpool and join Barcelona, who are looking to supplement their attack after the loss of Neymar.
Jurgen Klopp is insistent the Brazilian is not for sale at any price, and Liverpool's owners FSG doubled-down on the position with a public declaration that the player will stay. With Barcelona bidding in the region of £100m for the player however, the urge to sell and reinvest must be strong.