F365 says: Watford stop Salah, but can’t stop Liverpool

Liverpool won on a day that was ALL ABOUT THE THREE POINTS. But is it?

Before Juraj Kucka’s rugby tackle on Diogo Jota gifted Liverpool a second from the penalty spot in the 87th minute, it was all a bit nervy at Anfield. Having been the hunters for so long, Jurgen Klopp’s side finally had the opportunity to become the hunted. They succeeded, overturning an incredible 14-point gap to Manchester City to now sit one point clear at the top of the Premier League. It’s quite the achievement.

But, and – despite this being an all about the result kind of game – it is a but given the games they’ve got on the horizon, this was far from a vintage Liverpool display.

Kucka missed a golden opportunity 34 seconds before Diogo Jota’s 22nd-minute opener. Watford had been the better team. Joao Pedro, Ismaila Sarr and Cucho Hernandez were living up to their billing as dangermen on the break and, as Darren Fletcher said in a jinx just a couple of seconds before Joe Gomez’s cross for Jota, Roy Hodgson’s side had “contained Liverpool”.

Kucka should have done better, shooting straight at Alisson having been played through on goal by Pedro. Then Liverpool did ‘what the best team’s do’ and punished the relegation-threatened side’s profligacy. To do so quite so quickly after the Hornets wasted such a big chance will have stung, as will the seeming simplicity of the goal they conceded: a pass out wide; a cross; a header.

That said, both Gomez’s Trent Alexander-Arnold impression and Jota’s glancing header were brilliant. Jota’s so good at that – stealing a march on defenders to beat them to the front post area.

But Liverpool created little besides. It was particularly strange as individually, many of them were pretty good: Gomez produced further