Good evening, folks. Welcome along to our liveblog of tonight’s Premier League encounter between Watford and Liverpool at Vicarage Road.
Third-placed Liverpool are aiming to pick up points in their bid to secure Champions League football next season with a top-four finish. Jurgen Klopp’s side are currently ahead of Manchester City on goal difference, while fifth-placed United are a point behind.
If Watford can pull off an upset tonight by taking all three points, they’ll move from 13th place all the way up to ninth.
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Kick-off is scheduled for 8pm.
Here are the teams…
It’s underway at Vicarage Road.
Liverpool with the better of the opening exchanges. Coutinho goes down on the edge of the box after a collision with Mariappa. He’s receiving treatment.
Good break by Watford but Niang shoots from distance and it’s easy for Mignolet.
Lallana warming up for Liverpool. Looks like Coutinho may have to come off.
Waiting for this game to spring to life. A pretty dull affair thus far.
As expected, Lallana replaces Coutinho with just 12 minutes played.
That’s an early blow for Liverpool…
Firmino tries to break free in the box but Gomes rushes out from goal to collect the ball and avert any danger for Watford.
Clyne’s cross from the right is cut out, before Watford break and Deeney scuffs a shot on goal.
Injury blow now for Watford as Britos is forced off and Kabasele comes on.
Liverpool starting to put some good passages of play together but without creating any real chances.
Can shoots from distance and brings an excellent save from Gomes.
Liverpool dominating possession but Watford looking relatively comfortable at the back so far.
Free-kick in a dangerous position on the right for Liverpool after Cleverley brought down Clyne. Watford eventually clear their lines from Milner’s delivery. Watford pinned into their own half at the moment.
65% of the game has been played in the middle third so far, according to the people at Sky Sports who calculate these things.
Clyne breaks down the right again but is unable to produce a good delivery. Story of his game so far.
Lallana tries to play in Origi but the pass is too soft.
Liverpool still in the ascendancy here but they’ve yet to make it on the scoreborard. Frustrating so far for Jurgen Klopp.
Origi gets to the by-line but his low cross is collected by Gomes.
A rare jaunt forward for Watford produces a corner as Clyne intercepts Niang’s cross.
Doucoure has a strike from distance but it’s easily cut out by a sea of Liverpool bodies.
Milner’s free-kick into the box is punched clear by Gomes.
Pretty much…
Watford fans calling for a penalty after Deeney is wrestled off the ball by Lovren but it would have been a very harsh call against the Liverpool defender.
Origi’s cross to the back post is too deep and Watford eventually clear the danger.
Close! Gomes punches clear from a corner but it comes to Lallana, who hits a stunning volley off the crossbar from 20 yards out.
Lucas goes down in the box in search of a penalty for Liverpool. Instead he gets a yellow card for diving.
Now Firmino is penalised for a foul throw. Klopp will be tearing his hair out.
GOAL! Watford 0 Liverpool 1 (Emre Can, 45)
My God! What a goal! That was just about worth suffering through the last 45 minutes.
Lucas found Can with a sublime ball over the top from the right, and the German international opened the scoring with an incredible overhead kick.
Magic.
Half-time: Watford 0 Liverpool 1
The game has resumed.
No half-time substitutions to report.
Prödl booked for upending Firmino on the edge of the box.
Milner has a go with the free-kick but his drilled effort is pushed away by Gomes.
Can is down after appearing to be clipped by Niang’s arm/elbow.
Emre Can’s overhead kick on the stroke of half-time remains the difference between the teams…
Origi beats Kabasele, cuts in from the left and shoots, forcing Gomes to save and concede a corner.
Lovren gets his head on the corner but it’s comfortably collected by Gomes.
Firmino’s ball over the top is too heavy for Lallana. It’s all Liverpool at the moment as they seek to double their lead.
Close! Origi is played through but Gomes saves. Decent chance.
Watford starting to come into it. Janmaat picks out Deeney with a cross from the left but the striker is unable to produce anything.
Clyne breaks down the right but yet again he’s unable to conjure up a decent delivery.
Beautiful play from Wijnaldum down the left but he’s uanble to find Lallana with the cross.
Capoue claiming a corner after his shot goes just over, and he’s right too. It was a fine save from Mignolet but the referee disagrees.
Amrabat’s cross from the right is claimed by Mignolet. Watford starting to go for it.
Janmaat finds Deeney but he’s — incorrectly — deemed offside. Liverpool getting the rub of the green with a couple of decisions in the past few moments.
Glorious chance for Lallana but Amrabat makes a vital interception.
Origi tees up Can, who tries to bend one in from about 25 yards out but it’s well off target.
Watford corner from the left is claimed by Mignolet, who’s been solid whenever called upon tonight for Liverpool.
Janmaat forces a save from Mignolet. Nervy moment for Liverpool.
Sturridge is on for Liverpool in place of Origi.
Cleverley’s free-kick into the box finds Mariappa, who heads wide — but it’s ruled offside anyway.
Klavan replaces Lallana as Liverpool look to hold on for the win.
Gomes makes an important save from Matip but Liverpool have a corner.
Sturridge unable to get contact on it and Watford clear the danger.
Close! Sturridge does brilliantly before firing off a shot, but Gomes makes a wonderful save and the ball drifts just past the post.
Four minutes to be added on.
Watford pinning Liverpool into their own third but they can’t seem to come up with anything to threaten an equaliser.
Cleverley’s free-kick into the box is cleared by Milner.
Close! Prödl hammers a half-volley off the crossbar. Huge let-off for Liverpool.
Full-time: Watford 0 Liverpool 1
