Watford vs Liverpool – Match Preview
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Watford’s end of term report will make for pleasurable reading as the Hornets went into the November international break lying 7th in the table and were it not for a heavy home defeat to Bournemouth earlier in the campaign they would be one place better off.
Still there will be very few complaints from manager Javi Gracia as his side have made a very impressive start to the campaign. However, this is something that Watford are more than capable of doing only to then collapse the other side of Christmas.
Many have asked the question as to whether the same will happen again this time around and although it is something we cannot answer for another a few months, it does look as if this version of Watford is here to stick around in the top half of the table.
If Watford are going to solidify their top 10 credentials, then like many other teams their home form is going to be important and this weekend provides a huge test as title chasing Liverpool come to Vicarage Road.
Last season at the very same ground it was the first game of the season for Watford and Liverpool, one that was highly entertaining as the two sides played out a frenetic six-goal thriller with honours ending up even.
And it was honours even for Watford in their last outing as they were held away at Southampton, a game that were it for better officiating would have seen Mark Hughes’ men pick up a much needed win.
For Liverpool their last Premier League exercise before the recent hiatus was a home fixture against Fulham, a clash that turned out to be the last that Slavisa Jokanovic would have in charge of the West London outfit.
And again, you could argue that it was poor officiating which not only cost Fulham some form of positive result but ultimately Jokanovic his job. With minutes remaining before the end of the first half the Cottagers had the ball in the net only for it to be ruled out for offside.
Alexsandar Mitrovic’s header was incorrectly wiped out and if that was bad enough, Liverpool then scored a contentious goal of their own just 14 seconds later. Mohamed Salah ended a lightning fast breakaway move while some of the opposition were still celebrating Fulham going ahead.
To add insult to injury, Liverpool’s goal should not have stood either as the resulting free-kick that was taken from Fulham’s disallowed effort saw the ball still in motion. If ever there was a need for VAR then this was the perfect example.
In the end Liverpool managed to find an extra gear and thanks to Xhedran Shaqiri’s sumptuous second half volley they wrapped up all three points and more importantly kept themselves on the coattails of leaders Manchester City.
Watford will provide a sterner test especially as they have claimed the scalp of Tottenham at Vicarage Road this season. However, Liverpool do have that extra bit of quality and it is that which should prove the difference and earn them an away win.
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