Klopp hails resilient Reds

Liverpool not at their best, but 26th win from last 27 EPL games a boost for Club World Cup

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrating the first of his two goals during the 2-0 Premier League win over Watford at Anfield yesterday.
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrating the first of his two goals during the 2-0 Premier League win over Watford at Anfield yesterday. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Liverpool 2

Watford 0

LONDON • Liverpool will head to the Club World Cup in Qatar today comfortable in the knowledge their commanding 10-point lead over Leicester in the Premier League will not be troubled any time soon.

The 2-0 home win over bottom club Watford yesterday was far from a vintage display by Jurgen Klopp's team. They were fairly average and, in fact, the scoreline flattered them. But a remarkable 26th win from their last 27 league games was the hallmark of would-be champions in its own way.

Mohamed Salah struck twice to down a determined Watford side who, with more conviction and quality in front of goal, could have given Nigel Pearson something more tangible than a positive performance in his first game as the club's new manager.

The Premier League leaders never got into their stride, perfectly understandable after an exhausting 2-0 win at Salzburg in the Champions League on Wednesday, but they produced the flashes of quality needed to turn a difficult afternoon into another victorious one.

Klopp, who has extended his contract to 2024, said on BT Sport: "It was not the prettiest game but I am more than happy with that.

"At this stage, you have to show resilience and I believe we did that today. We have so many games but we are happy with this.

"Watford had their chances but we scored ours. We could have made the game easier for us, but it's intense to be constantly in charge of the game."

  • 100

  • Games Liverpool have gone unbeaten at Anfield when they have led at half-time (W91, D9), since a 2-1 loss to Arsenal in December 2009.

The Reds took the lead with a typically lethal counter-attack in the 38th minute as Sadio Mane collected the ball on the left and released Salah, who sprinted towards goal before cutting in and curling a shot home with his right foot.

Mane thought that he had doubled the lead five minutes after the break. But the video assistant referee (VAR) showed he was marginally offside when nodding the ball in from Xherdan Shaqiri's whipped cross.

Salah then scored his eighth league goal against Watford in five matches with a brilliant back-heeled effort in added time to secure the three points.

Despite not being at their free-flowing best, the Egyptian forward believes that the Reds were always confident of getting a win.

He said: "Sometimes the crowd get a bit panicky but we have more experience now - we have been together for three, four years. We've won a few games 1-0, so it's fine."

This was Liverpool's seventh game in a run of 15 matches in 50 days across five competitions and the strain on Klopp's squad was shown not only in a jaded display but another injury blow.

Georginio Wijnaldum limped off on the hour mark and could now be a doubt for the Reds' attempt to win the Club World Cup this week.

On the Dutch midfielder's apparent hamstring injury, Klopp said: "Our main problem is about losing players. We are fine with the number of fixtures but losing players does not make it any easier."

Pearson, who is in charge until the end of the season, felt that his team played well but Liverpool were just too good.

He told BT Sport: "I think we put them under strain and caused them problems but they have unbelievable players.

"We need to reflect on the performance. I have seen more positives than negatives today. We have to make things happen and hopefully people have seen encouragement."

THE GUARDIAN, REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on December 15, 2019, with the headline Klopp hails resilient Reds. Subscribe