Liverpool brushed aside Watford 3-0 at Vicarage Road to maintain pace with Manchester City at the Premier League’s summit.
The deadlock was not broken until the 67th minute, when Mohamed Salah took his tally to 24 goals in his last 30 top-flight games with a fortuitous strike beyond Hornets goalkeeper Ben Foster.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s stunning 25-yard free-kick gave Foster no chance nine minutes later but Watford were given a lifeline when Jordan Henderson was given his marching orders after a cynical foul on Etienne Capoue resulted in a second yellow card.
The Reds finished strongly, though, with Roberto Firmino completing a comprehensive win by nodding in on the rebound after Sadio Mane had been denied by Foster.
Here, we analyse the main talking points from the 3-0 victory.
NO MIDFIELD GUILE
Jordan Henderson
Jurgen Klopp invested heavily into his midfield over the summer but it’s yet to pay dividends.
Much of last season’s success was built on the foundation of an interchangeable midfield trio which pressed with tenacity and then attacked with craft.
Injuries decimated the German’s options towards the back end of the 2017/18 campaign and so the additions of Fabinho (£44 million), Naby Keita (£52.75m) and Xherdan Shaqiri (£13.5m) were viewed as necessary and crucial.
Granted, a buzzing Shaqiri has largely impressed from the No10 slot but Fabinho has taken time to settle and we’re yet to see his best while Keita has fallen flat, punctured by injury problems.
It meant Klopp opted for Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum in a midfield two against Watford and even with Shaqiri in there, Liverpool lacked a touch of guile against an opponent which sat deep in their defensive block.
Henderson (101) and Wijnaldum (84) combined for 185 touches of the ball and yet failed to produce one key pass with one wild volley into the top tier from the captain the pair’s only shot.
Klopp needs Keita and Fabinho to start delivering. They are quicker in possession, more willing to carry the ball forward and simply provide more action both on and off the ball.
Credit to Klopp for operating with Firmino deeper than Salah because the Brazilian showed he has the ability to carve open defences in the way Philippe Coutinho did.
Behind him, though, was no ingenuity. The structure may be sound, as evidenced by the fact Watford only managed one shot heading into the final 20 minutes.
From an attacking sense, Liverpool aren’t really profiting without their key acquisitions just yet.
SALAH’S MOJO
Mohamed Salah celebrates
With the vital opener at Vicarage Road, Salah made it six goals in three Premier League appearances against Watford.
The Egyptian also stretched another remarkable streak as that strike made it the 73rd he’s been directly involved in from 70 games for Liverpool.
Indeed, Mo is finding his mojo. He began the season rather quietly but is now making plenty of noise and silencing the doubters with performances in recent weeks akin to those of last term.
For Salah to be most effective, though, he requires the assistance of his forward partners Firmino and Sadio Mane and the three have not hit the same rhythm so far this term.
Yet, the trio showed what is possible when they do as Firmino delightfully slipped in Mane on the left channel with the Senegalese crossing for Salah to squeeze a first-time strike past the excellent Ben Foster.
A seventh Premier League goal of the season for Salah means he is on well on course to produce another fruitful campaign and it’s not just the goals which are flowing.
His first touch, trickery and movement is much sharper and should Mane and Firmino hit their top form, too, Liverpool will be flying.
TAA IS THE PRESENT AND FUTURE
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Alexander-Arnold is 20 years old and yet he’s already played 60 times for Liverpool with a Champions League final and a World Cup campaign under his belt.
The full-back has been a sensation since Klopp introduced him two years ago and he’s since grown, physically and mentally, from boy to man.
Credit to Klopp for the bravery in entrusting such a key role to a teenager, but that courage has been justified by the performances of Alexander-Arnold.
A fourth goal in all competitions for the Reds, this one a free-kick stunner for the all-important second is rich reward for a player who has been deeply impressive.
Naturally, there are improvements to be made, particularly with retaining possession and in defensive scenarios, but the Liverpool-born defender is the present and future of this team.
