Liverpool invincible dream shattered by ruthless Watford as Sarr steals show

Ismaila Sarr scored a brace and set a goal up for Troy Deeney to make Watford the first team to beat Liverpool in the Premier League since Manchester City in January 2019.

Liverpool are closing in on a first league title of the Premier League era, but the celebrations will be made to wait a little longer after Watford dented their dreams of going the whole season unbeaten.

The Reds would have been the first team to do so since Arsenal in 2003-04, with only Manchester United taking points off Jurgen Klopp’s men prior to today in the league this season.

However, the team to finally defeat Liverpool after 44 games without loss in the Premier League were an unusual suspect – as Watford took three points that lifted them out of the relegation zone.

Ismaila Sarr, an international teammate of Liverpool star Sadio Mane with Senegal, gave Watford an unlikely lead when he took advantage of some unusually disorganised defending from the Reds’ backline.

Getting in front of Andy Robertson, Sarr got on the end of Abdoulaye Doucoure’s cross to poke the ball past Alisson Becker.

It was a deserved lead for Watford, who had taken more shots up to that point – and it was a lead they refused to relinquish.

Just minutes later, Sarr showed nerves of steel to finish one-on-one with Alisson after breaking through the backline once more, confidently dinking the ball over the Brazilian keeper.

Jurgen Klopp turned to Adam Lallana from the substitutes bench to try and change things, and the midfielder very nearly made an instant impact when his left-footed effort from outside the box hit the post.

Divock Origi was also sent on in an attempt to claw a way back into the game, but it was Watford who delivered another stinging blow next.

Things became even more incredulous when Troy Deeney broke through to give Watford a third goal without reply, with Sarr turning provider this time having intercepted Trent Alexander-Arnold’s loose backpass.

Not only did it extend Watford’s advantage, it was the goal that took them above Bournemouth on goal difference and out of the drop zone.

Sarr even had a chance for a hat-trick when he got in behind again, but he spurned the chance by slicing it wide.

The attention then turned to defending for Watford, and the backline held firm to keep Liverpool’s deadly attack at bay and ruin their dreams of going undefeated in 2019-20.