Liverpool beat struggling Watford to complete a remarkable return to the top of the Premier League – for a few hours at least.
The Reds trailed Manchester City by 14 points on 15 January, but a 10th straight league win at a raucous Anfield took them above Pep Guardiola’s side, whom they meet on 10 April.
Diogo Jota’s 20th club goal of the season – and his third in as many appearances in a red shirt, 34 seconds after Alisson made a huge save to deny Juraj Kucka – helped seal a tense win.
Portugal forward Jota jumped between two Watford defender to meet a cross and head past Ben Foster as Joe Gomez marked only his second league start of the season with an assist.
Fabinho’s late penalty – after Kucka’s rugby-style challenge on Jota – secured the points.
Despite sealing a potentially significant win, Liverpool were not at their fluent best.
Joao Pedro wasted a glorious chance to equalise in the second half as Watford remain third from bottom, three points from safety.
Liverpool are two points ahead of City, who face struggling Burnley at Turf Moor at 15:00 BST.
More to follow.
How to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key = Give it up = Pure perfection
Liverpool
Starting XI
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Squad number1Player nameAlissonAverage rating7.63
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Squad number12Player nameGomezAverage rating7.58
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Squad number32Player nameMatipAverage rating7.38
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Squad number4Player namevan DijkAverage rating7.58
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Squad number26Player nameRobertsonAverage rating7.71
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Squad number17Player nameJonesAverage rating
6.73
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Squad number14Player nameHendersonAverage rating7.24
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Squad number6Player nameThiago AlcántaraAverage rating
7.84
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Squad number11Player nameMohamed SalahAverage rating6.99
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Squad number9Player nameRoberto FirminoAverage rating7.49
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Squad number20Player nameDiogo JotaAverage rating
7.93
Substitutes
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Squad number3Player nameFabinhoAverage rating
7.77
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Squad number7Player nameMilnerAverage rating6.75
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Squad number10Player nameManéAverage rating7.02
Watford
Starting XI
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Squad number1Player nameFosterAverage rating6.26
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Squad number21Player nameKiko FemeníaAverage rating5.56
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Squad number27Player nameKabaseleAverage rating5.70
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Squad number22Player nameSamirAverage rating
5.62
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Squad number14Player nameKamaraAverage rating
6.09
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Squad number6Player nameLouzaAverage rating
5.46
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Squad number23Player nameSarrAverage rating
5.84
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Squad number19Player nameSissokoAverage rating
6.02
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Squad number33Player nameKuckaAverage rating
5.06
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Squad number29Player nameCucho HernándezAverage rating
5.64
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Squad number10Player nameJoão PedroAverage rating
5.58
Substitutes
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Squad number7Player nameKingAverage rating
5.00
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Squad number8Player nameCleverleyAverage rating5.21
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Squad number25Player nameDennisAverage rating
5.05
Line-ups
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Alisson
- 12GomezBooked at 45mins
- 32Matip
- 4van Dijk
- 26Robertson
- 17JonesSubstituted forFabinhoat 62′minutes
- 14Henderson
- 6Thiago AlcántaraSubstituted forMilnerat 90′minutes
- 11SalahSubstituted forManéat 69′minutes
- 9Firmino
- 20Jota
Substitutes
- 3Fabinho
- 5Konaté
- 7Milner
- 10Mané
- 15Oxlade-Chamberlain
- 21Tsimikas
- 23Díaz
- 62Kelleher
- 66Alexander-Arnold
Watford
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Foster
- 21Femenía
- 27Kabasele
- 22Samir
- 14Kamara
- 6LouzaSubstituted forCleverleyat 78′minutes
- 23Sarr
- 19Sissoko
- 33Kucka
- 29HernándezBooked at 59minsSubstituted forDennisat 78′minutes
- 10João PedroSubstituted forKingat 78′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Ngakia
- 7King
- 8Cleverley
- 11Masina
- 12Sema
- 15Cathcart
- 25Dennis
- 26Bachmann
- 39Kayembe
- Referee:
- Stuart Attwell
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Liverpool 2, Watford 0.
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Second Half ends, Liverpool 2, Watford 0.
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Foul by Sadio Mané (Liverpool).
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Samir (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Diogo Jota (Liverpool).
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Juraj Kucka (Watford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Substitution, Liverpool. James Milner replaces Thiago.
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Goal! Liverpool 2, Watford 0. Fabinho (Liverpool) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top left corner.
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VAR Decision: Penalty Liverpool.
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Penalty Liverpool. Diogo Jota draws a foul in the penalty area.
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Penalty conceded by Juraj Kucka (Watford) after a foul in the penalty area.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Christian Kabasele.
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Attempt blocked. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Diogo Jota.
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Attempt blocked. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Thiago.
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Offside, Watford. Juraj Kucka tries a through ball, but Emmanuel Dennis is caught offside.
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Attempt blocked. Sadio Mané (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Diogo Jota.
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Substitution, Watford. Emmanuel Dennis replaces Cucho Hernández.
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Substitution, Watford. Joshua King replaces João Pedro.
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Substitution, Watford. Tom Cleverley replaces Imrân Louza.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Kiko Femenía.
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