Watford vs. Liverpool: Winners and Losers from Premier League
Watford made it four Premier League wins on the spin with a convincing 3-0 home triumph over Liverpool on Sunday.
Nathan Ake seized on a goalkeeping error from Adam Bogdan—starting for the Reds in place of the injured Simon Mignolet—to break the deadlock inside three minutes.
Odion Ighalo doubled the Hornets' lead after 15 minutes, the forward shrugging off Martin Skrtel to shoot across Bogdan from a tight angle.
Lacklustre in the opening half, Liverpool did improve after the break.
However, a comeback failed to materialise, and instead it was Watford who scored the decisive third goal with five minutes to play.
Ighalo headed home his second of the game as Watford moved to within a point of the top four in the table. It was also their first home win over Liverpool since 1986.
Here, Bleacher Report picks out the winners and losers from the action at Vicarage Road.
Winner: Odion Ighalo
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Ighalo took his Premier League tally for the season to 12 goals with a brace against Liverpool.
The Nigerian forward showed great strength to bully Skrtel for his first goal, while his second—a header from substitute Valon Behrami's cross—was a rich reward for making a late run into the box.
There was also a wonderful moment for the former Udinese player when he fooled Mamadou Sakho to such an extent that the Liverpool defender lost his balance and fell over.
Only a smart save by Bogdan denied him a hat-trick, but Ighalo's form this season is a major reason why Watford are close to the Champions League places, rather than worrying about the relegation zone.
According to WhoScored.com, he has now scored 28 goals in 35 league appearances in the calendar year.
Loser: Adam Bogdan
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Bogdan made an impression in his Premier League debut for Liverpool, but it wasn't quite the one he would have hoped for.
The goalkeeper was named in the side due to an injury suffered by Mignolet, with Liverpool's official Twitter feed revealing the Belgian was ruled out with a tight hamstring.
Bogdan failed his first test in the match, dropping a corner in just the third minute.
Although he seemed to quickly recover to gain possession, Watford's Ake managed to dislodge the ball from his gloves and then turn it into the net.
Jack Gaughan wrote in the Mail, "There cannot be too many Liverpool Premier League debuts more haphazard than this. Bogdan’s confidence was shot inside 125 seconds and the goalkeeper never recovered."
The Hungarian did make a smart second-half save, yet his performance left Liverpool fans longing for the return of Mignolet, who had been criticised for an error in the 2-2 draw with West Brom on December 13.
Winner: Troy Deeney
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Although Ighalo scored twice, Troy Deeney was just as impressive up front for Watford.
Deeney caused Liverpool problems throughout the game, including producing a lobbed ball behind the defence that led to Ighalo scoring his first of the afternoon.
The partnership helped fire the Hornets to a victory that leaves them just one point behind fourth-placed Tottenham in the Premier League table ahead of a Boxing Day trip to Chelsea.
Per the Premier League's official Twitter feed, the Watford captain said after the game: "That was the best win yet. Four in a row is massive in the Premier League."
Deeney for England, perhaps?
Losers: Martin Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho
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Sakho's return to fitness seemed to be a timely one, considering Dejan Lovren had picked up an injury in the 2-2 draw with West Brom last time out.
The Frenchman had not featured in the team since being forced off during the home defeat to Crystal Palace back on November 8.
Thrown straight back into the starting XI, Sakho looked rusty (and that's putting it kindly) against Watford. There were times when you wondered if he even had his boots on the correct feet.
Skrtel, meanwhile, became the latest defensive casualty for the Reds.
Brushed aside too easily for Watford's second goal, the Slovakian twice needed treatment on the field before eventually being substituted just before half-time.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will hope to have Skrtel fit for his side's next game—a home clash against table-topping Leicester City on December 26.
Winner: Quique Sanchez Flores
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If Leicester City were not flying high at the top of the table right now, Watford would be the story of the Premier League season.
Quique Sanchez Flores deserves great credit for what he has already achieved in his first year in charge.
The Spaniard has adapted well to life in England. It helps to have a front pairing like Ighalo and Deeney to get goals, but the Hornets have also been so solid at the back.
They have now conceded just 16 goals in the league, with Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Manchester United the only visiting sides to find the net at Vicarage Road.
But, while some may talk of qualifying for Europe, Flores has his feet firmly on the ground.
He said in his post-match interview, per Teamtalk.com: "Of course we want to dream but we want to remain humble. We are completely happy with the performance. It was an amazing victory against an amazing team."
Loser: Jurgen Klopp
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Klopp has made a huge impact since taking over at Liverpool, but a 3-0 loss away at Watford is the worst moment in his short time in charge so far.
The German said as much to Sky Sports (h/t Jim Daly of the Mirror) and hopes the result is a low point during his reign: "I would say hopefully it's the most disappointing moment in my Liverpool life from now on."
There is not much a manager can do about individual errors on the field. Bodgan was at fault for the home side's first goal, while Skrtel could certainly have done better for the second.
However, Klopp has to shoulder some of the responsibility for the defeat. On a difficult playing surface, he opted not to pick a recognised striker.
Stuck in ninth place in the table, the Reds have picked up just a solitary point from their last three Premier League outings. The honeymoon period is definitely over for Klopp.
