Liverpool v Watford: Premier League – live! – The Guardian, Theguardian.com

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Half time: Liverpool 1-0 Watford

Peep peep! Well, that was a bit odd. Liverpoollead through Mo Salah’s splendid goal, but Watford had the two clearest chances of the game either side of that. See you in 12 minutes for the second half.

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************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** min“Rob,” says Mac Millings. “I think it’s lovely that the Guardian is bringing people like Keith Dugdale and David Baines together. Can I have a go? Is anyone else out there watching the game while slumped on a couch in last night’s clothes in South Carolina? ”

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minit’s all happening now! Salah plays in Mane, who stabs the ball over the outrushing Foster on the edge of the area before being crowded out by Kabasele.

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minHenderson is booked for pulling back the dangerous Deulofeu.

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min: (Watford) *********** miss another great chance!It’s another shocking miskick. Deulofeu skinned Alexander-Arnold on the left of the area and fizzed a low cross-shot into the six-yard box. The diving Alisson pushed it out as far as Sarr, eight yards from goal, and he shanked the bouncing ball so badly that it flew off the side of his boot at a – degree angle.

Updatedat 8. 17 am EST

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minYou see what happens, Nigel? You see what happens if you win a corner against thisLiverpoolside?

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Watford won a corner after that Doucoure chance, and 16 seconds later they were behind. The corner was half cleared towards Firmino, who improvised superbly to volley the loose ball over his head to Mane. He moved it down the inside-left channel to Salah, who Cruyff-turned away from Kiko Femenia on the edge of the area and toed a right-footed curler that drifted into the far corner. Brilliant goal.

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GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Watford (Salah)

A classic Liverpool)

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(************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************Mohamed Salah curls in the opening goal. Photograph: Carl Recine / Action Images / Reuters (**********************************************************

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min: Great chance for Watford!They should be ahead. Sarr played a nice pass into space for Capoue down the right. He moved into the area and carefully picked out Doucoure, who miskicked completely in front of goal.

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minFirmino twists Kabasele inside out to win a corner. Nothing comes of it. This has been a dog of a game so far, devised and hosted by nigel pearson. He’ll be thrilled with how (Watford) have played.

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min “Alright, Rob,” says Adam Griffiths. “In this crazy, upside down state of flux / fluxed world in what we live the MBM is a rare constant. So cheers to you and your fellow MBMers for the sterling work you do, and a Merry Christmas / Happy Hannukah / kick-ass Kwanzaa / tiptop Tet to all the listeners out there in MBM-land. ”

Cheers Adam. Merry Christmas to all you listeners!

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minDoucoure breaks down the left and into the area before crossing low into the six-yard box. Van Dijk takes up a perfect position and lumps it clear.

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**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** min Liverpool are missing the relentless threat of Andy Robertson on the left. They should still win comfortably; they just need to be patient.

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****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** minWatfordare working so hard without the ball, and will be really pleased with how the game has gone so far. It’s hard to see them sustaining this for minutes, but It’s been an encouraging start for Nigel Pearson.

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******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** min Salah falls over in the area under challenge from Kabasele. Nothing doing. I don’t think it was a dive, since you asked. It certainly wasn’t a penalty.

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******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (min) ******************** “I’m a Watfordfan in the States getting up at 5 am local time and thinking it will be a miracle if the Orns keep it within three, ”says Shaun Kuter. “No one ever accused me of being smart.”

It’s the hope of a noble 2-0 defeat that kills you.

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********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** min Salah scurries infield from the right wing and flips a curling shot well wide of the far post. Every goalkick allows Watford to waste a bit more time; the crowd and the crowd and players are getting a bit irritated.

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************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ min Hughes is harshly booked for a foul on Henderson. Moments later, Mane hooks an optimistic volley over his shoulder and the bar from the edge of the box.

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************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ minIt’s raining shots! Will Hughes surges forward from midfield and drives a left-footed shot a few yards wide from just outside the box. Alisson had it covered but it was a purposeful run.

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************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ minMane’s deep cross is half cleared to Henderson, who slaps the bouncing ball into orbit from yards. It was an awkward ball to hit on the run. I think that’s the first shot of the match at either end.

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************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** minDeulofeu wins a corner for Watford, and walks over to take it at approximately 0. 0002 miles per hour. More boos.

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**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** minSitting in fast response ambulance thanking my lucky stars I’ve got the BT Sport app! ”Says Richard Howes. “And hoping south London will be quiet for the upcoming mins. At some point will Liverpoolrest van Dijk? Hopefully they’ll win. I need something to cheer me up after Thursday’s results … and that’s not a reference to the Europa League games! ”

Mason Greenwood does look good though, eh. As for van Dijk, he plays with a resting heart rate so I doubt he needs a rest. It’s telling that he is the one player who hasn’t been left out in the last few weeks.

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****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (min) ******************** Watford have already started timewasting. There are a few boos as Mariappa delays a throw-in, and their new coach Nigel Pearson breaks into a gentle smile that says, ‘I could not give a solitary flip what any of you think.’

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******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (min) Alexander-Arnold is starting to threaten. There’s a greater onus on him today in the absence of the rested Andy Robertson.

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******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (min) “What bar is Keith Dugdale (6 mins) in?” Says David Baines. “I’m watching it in Cheers, the Hanoi Reds home bar.”

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********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (min) Alexander-Arnold, roaming infield, plays a dangerous through ball towards Salah that is crucially intercepted by the sliding Cathcart.

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************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ min Milner plays a neat one-two with Mane, only to overrun the ball. It was another neat touch from Mane, who for my money is the best attacker in the world right now.

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************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ (min) “It’ll take a better stats person than me, but if we take the best second halves of a season for Manchester City and Leicester City and then take Liverpool’s worst (okay, we’re not quite at 20 games yet),

Liverpoolsurely cruise home regardless? ”Says Gary Naylor. “People keep puffing air into the title race balloon, but it’s not going to happen.”

No, no chance, unless Liverpool lose van Dijk, Mane, Robertson, Alexander-Arnold and Alisson to long-term injuries, and inexplicably replace Jurgen Klopp with Terry Christian. Even if Manchester City win their remaining 24 games, they won’t catch Liverpool. (**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

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9 min

Liverpool are slowly getting into their work. There’s no real atmosphere, as is often the case with early kick-offs.

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6 min

“My – year -old son still has not seenLiverpoolwin the league, ”says Keith Dugdale. “So here I am in a bar in Hanoi, beers in hand and still nervous of the game despite the opposition and our home record. At least mathematically we can’t be relegated. Next step is Champs League qualification. ”

I used to think I was a pessimist, but I’ve got nothing on Liverpool fans this season. You’re the best team in the world and are going to win the league by March. Relax. Fakkin enjoy it.

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5 min

Watford almost take the lead! Sarr’s superb low cross from the rightjust evades the stretching Deeney in front of goal. He went with his wrong foot, the right, and made no contact with the ball. (***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

(******************************************************************************************** () ********************************************************************************************** () **************************************************************************************************(************************************************************************************** (**********************************************************************************************************(********************************************************************************************** (******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (************************************************************************************************************** (****************************************************************************************************************** (****************************************************************************************************************(************************************************************************************************************ (************************************************************************************************************** (******************************************************************************************************************(************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************Troy Deeney just fails to connect. Photograph: Phil Noble / Reuters (**********************************************************

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3 min

It’s been a quiet start to the game, with Liverpool yet to threaten. It gives me no pleasure to say this, but I think we have to ask a difficult question: has Jurgen Klopp taken Liverpoolas far as he can?