Liverpool v Watford: Live matchday blog
Follow LIVE updates from Anfield as the Reds host Watford in the Premier League.
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Stats all, folks
Some decent numbers clocked up in that one - check them out with our Opta widget.
Full Time
Liverpool 5-0 Watford
The Reds bounce back in some style, smashing Watford at a snowy Anfield.
Salah the star man for the hosts (as if it needed saying) scoring four goals to put the Hornets to the sword.
Two minutes to be added on. I don't want this to end.
Goal
Liverpool 5-0 Watford (Salah)
He even scores when he's setting others up.
A brilliant first-time pass from Salah puts Ings in one on one but his low drive is kept out by Karzenis' dive.
Unfortunately for the Watford 'keeper, he only pushes the ball out to Mo, who hammers it home.
So close to five!
Mane chips one over the top for Ings, who controls nicely on his chest before letting fly.
Unfortunately, Karnezis gets a strong hand to the ball to deny the Englishman.
Substitution
Firmino heads off to rapturous applause as Ings takes his place.
Goal
Livrpool 4-0 Watford (Salah hat-trick)
He's done it!
Mane bursts past Prodl on the wing and pulls it back into the box for Salah, who has a million defenders (rough estimate) separating him from the goal.
Somehow, the No.11 twists and turns himself into enough space to squeeze a shot into the far corner. What a finish.
That's Mo's first hat-trick for the club and the first treble ever against Watford by a Liverpool player.
Oxlade-Chamberlain lines one up from distance... but it's straight at Karnezis.
The Reds in complete control now.
Substitution
Watford make another change, Troy Deeney replaced by Stefano Okaka.
Meanwhile, the Reds sub in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for Gini Wijnaldum.
Substitution
Richarlison makes way for Watford, Will Hughes his replacement.
A patient build-up from Liverpool gets Gomez into space on the right-hand side.
The defender is so close to picking out Firmino's run for a header at goal, but the ball just escapes the No.9. Unlucky!
Yellow Card
Gomez cynically pulls down Richarlison at the edge of the area and he's into the book.
The subsequent free-kick clips the top of the bar as it curls inwards, though it looks like Karius had it covered.
Goal
Liverpool 3-0 Watford (Firmino)
What more can you say about this forward line? That's ridiculously good.
Salah reclaims a 'lost cause' ball on the byline inside the Watford area and waits and waits and waits before picking out Firmino's run into the six-yard box.
The Brazilian's flicked finish through his own legs is as good as the pass, and that's 3-0 to the Reds.
Kick-Off
Liverpool get the game restarted.
Match shot
He's really, really good.
Numbers game
Have a look at the stats behind that half of football with our Opta widget.
Half Time
Liverpool 2-0 Watford
The Reds ahead at the break at Anfield thanks to two goals from Mohamed Salah - who else?
Watford have had their moments but they can't cope with the hosts' rapid attack. We've said that a few times this season.
One minute of added time indicated.
Goal
Liverpool 2-0 Watford (Salah)
He's done it again!
Mane plays Robertson in on the left and the Scot produces what's known in the business as a buffet ball: a low, unstoppable cross that Salah simply has to divert goalward.
He does, of course.
What a brilliant counter from Liverpool.
Milner releases Salah down the left and the Egypitan picks out an inch-perfect pass for the onrushing Firmino.
The Reds' No.9 jinks inside his man before unleashing a left-footed strike but a good save from Karnezis keeps it out.
Richarlison gets above Gomez and meets a back-post cross with his head but Karius is equal to the effort.
Watford carrying more of a threat as this match goes on.
A Liverpool mistake allows Watford into a dangerous position but Pereyra's low cross from inside the box is cut out by Matip.
The Reds can't get complacent, they're certainly still in a game here.
Substitution
Emre Can goes down outside the Kop-end box clutching his back and he won't be able to continue.
James Milner replaces the German.
Match shot
The 33rd time we've seen this in 2017-18.
Gomez swings in a low cross from the right but Karnezis comes off his line to collect.
Liverpool wasting no time in looking for a second.
Not much action in the aftermath of the opener but Kopites are making up for that with a lengthy rendition of the new 'Allez, Allez, Allez' chant.
Love it.
Goal
Liverpool 1-0 Watford (Salah)
The perfect start for the hosts.
Salah bursts into the Watford box and turns Britos inside out before using the space he creates to slot a low, right-footed finish home.
The Hornets defender will have twisted blood after that one.
Kick-Off
The game gets under way.
The crowd takes part in a minute's applause prior to kick-off at Anfield to celebrate the life of former Reds defender John Molyneux.
A reminder of the line-ups today...
The gaffer's thinking
Klopp has explained the reasons for his four changes today...
"It is nothing to do with last week. Dejan is not available, that's the first reason. That's it, pretty much. We had a normal training week so we used the week and had a look at what we think we could need against Watford - and that's the outcome."
Dressing room ready...
Here's how the visitors line up...
The Reds are here
Confirmed team news – four changes for Reds
Jürgen Klopp has opted for four changes this afternoon as Gomez, Henderson, Matip and Wijnaldum return to the starting XI.
Dejan Lovren is not part of the squad due to a minor ankle injury.
Liverpool team: Karius, Gomez, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Can, Mane, Salah, Firmino.
Substitutes: Mignolet, Milner, Klavan, Moreno, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ings, Alexander-Arnold.
Mane on the mic
Sadio takes care of the pre-match media duties at Anfield.
Ready to go...
Joel's judgement
Here's what central defender Matip has to say on the top-four race in the matchday programme...
"It is really close at the top. We have to get as many points as possible if we are to get a good position by the end of the season because we know that if we lose just one game you can drop positions immediately. We have to fight for every point against Watford today and in the next games."
Liverpool can climb to third if they beat Watford, with Manchester United, Spurs and Chelsea not in Premier League action this weekend...
Last time out
It was an eventful encounter when these sides met on the opening day of the season. Relive how six goals were shared at Vicarage Road in our highlights package below...
The kids are alright
All over in Kirkby and Liverpool U18s win 6-0 against Middlesbrough, with Rafael Camacho, Adam Lewis, Niall Brookwell and Rhys Williams all scoring, while Curtis Jones bagged a brace.
Minute's applause for Molyneux
Anfield will pay tribute to John Molyneux, the former Liverpool defender who died at the age of 87 earlier this month, with a minute's applause ahead of kick-off this evening.
Weather
Apologies if you've been waiting for our usual weather update - but here it is.
It's a windy and cold afternoon in Anfield and there has been the lightest of snowfall intermittently throughout the day. If you are heading to the stadium in the next couple of hours, make sure you wrap up warm. Hat, gloves, thermals recommended.
Shouting the odds
Liverpool 2/11
Draw 15/2
Watford 14/1
That's how BETVICTOR see things going - click here to take advantage of those odds.
Media briefing
Remind yourself of what Jürgen Klopp had to say in his press conference to preview today's game with our free clip below.
All good at the Academy
Liverpool U18s leading 2-0 against Middlesbrough at half-time over in Kirkby.
Rafael Camacho and Adam Lewis the scorers for the young Reds, who are well worth their two-goal advantage at the break.
Numbers game
A selection of interesting pre-match facts from Ged Rea to whet your appetite for today's fixture...
- Liverpool and Watford have met nine times in the Premier League - the Reds have won six and drawn one.
- Sadio Mane could play his 50th league game for Liverpool. The Senegal forward has scored three times in his two LFC appearances against Watford and is the Reds' joint-leading Premier League scorer against the Hornets, along with Firmino.
- Captain Jordan Henderson is in line to make his 200th league appearance for the Reds.
Meanwhile, at Kirkby...
Before the first-team action gets under way today, we've got U18s football on LFCTV and LFCTV GO.
Steven Gerrard's team take on Middlesbrough at 1pm GMT - and you can watch live here.
This Is Anfield
If you want to get your hands on a copy of the programme today, this is what you're looking for:
Hendo chimes in
As always, the captain also features in today's matchday programme - and he too had kind words for the fans.
“When you’ve been at the club as long as I have now, it’s hard to be surprised by the passion of the Liverpool supporters because they display it on so many occasions,” he writes.
“But even by their very high standards the ‘performance’ – for want of a better word – from the away end at Old Trafford last Saturday was phenomenal.
“I’m not sure I can remember experiencing anything like that before, particularly when a team loses against such a big rival.”
Klopp hails Old Trafford support
The gaffer's programme notes this afternoon are well worth a read for anyone heading over to Anfield.
In them, he pays tribute to the supporters who made the trip to Old Trafford last week and sang their hearts out despite a disappointing result.
He writes: "I always go to thank the fans for their support after every game but at Old Trafford my gratitude was even stronger than usual. That was because the 3,000 Liverpool supporters in a crowd of almost 75,000 had somehow made themselves sound like there were 10 times as many in the away end. We heard them before the game, we heard them during the game and, most importantly of all, we heard them after the game when we needed them most."
Emre wary of Watford
Today's visitors look to have *almost* guaranteed their Premier League survival with eight fixtures remaining this season - and that makes them particularly dangerous, according to Emre Can.
“In the Premier League you never know what happens. They won’t think about relaxing, they’ll just want to win,” he told Liverpoolfc.com.
“They’ll come to Anfield to win. Watford are a team with good players and individual quality. They will try to win the game but, of course, we will try as well.
“It will be a tough game, for sure. But the Newcastle and West Ham games are a good example. Maybe it will be a game where we have to stay patient – but we have to try to win.”
And we're off
Hello and welcome to Liverpoolfc.com's live matchday blog for today's clash with Watford at Anfield.
The Reds are out to quickly bounce back from last weekend's defeat to Manchester United but face a Hornets side who have improved of late under new manager Javi Gracia.
Compare the two teams' seasons thus far with our Opta widget below.