Table-topping Liverpool welcome bottom side Watford to Anfield on Saturday for the Premier League’s early kick-off. Jurgen Klopp’s side will be looking to maintain their eight-point lead at the summit, while the Hornets must turn things around quickly if they are to avoid relegation.
The Reds come into this game on the back of an excellent away display in Austria. Liverpool booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a 2-0 victory over Red Bull Salzburg. Naby Keita and Mohamed Salah bagged the goals.
With European commitments taken care of, Liverpool must now turn their attention to a potential domestic trouble.
The difference in quality between Liverpool and Watford is vast, but Klopp will know that there is no easy game in the English top-flight.
Still, after winning 15 of their 16 league games this season – and drawing the other – the Reds are well on their way to securing the Premier League title.
Only Man City have scored more goals than Klopp’s men, while Leicester City are the only team with a better defensive record in the division.
In contrast, Watford are the league’s lowest scoring side. They have only managed to score nine goals all season, and the team’s attacking problems will be a huge concern for new boss Nigel Pearson.
The former Leicester manager comes into a club with just one league win to their name in 2019/20. Pearson will be confident of guiding the Hornets out of the bottom three, but he must act fast.
With that being said, Pearson couldn’t have a tougher first opponent. Watford have conceded 30 goals in 16 league games this term, and that tally looks set to be added to this weekend.
The new manager will be looking to shake things up, so it’s difficult to predict Watford’s line-up. However, Pearson will be hoping that Daryl Janmaat and Craig Dawson will be available for selection following injuries.
Klopp has rotated his side significantly due to Liverpool’s busy December fixture list. Key men Fabinho and Joel Matip remain sidelined, but Klopp is likely to make full use of his squad again.
Watford have only beaten Liverpool once since 1999. The Reds are unbeaten in their last seven meetings with the Hornets (won six, drawn one). It’s difficult to imagine Watford bucking that trend this time around.
Liverpool are unstoppable at the moment, while Watford are in desperate need of some inspiration.
Forebet predicts that Liverpool will score over 2.5 goals on their way to victory at Anfield. Given Watford’s dismal goalscoring record, the Reds are also likely to keep a clean sheet.