Mohamed Salah, Liverpool Stay Undefeated in Premier League with Win vs. Watford
November 24, 2018
Liverpool maintained an unbeaten start to the Premier League season thanks to a 3-0 win over Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday.
Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Roberto Firmino were on the scoresheet to help the Reds keep pace with leaders Manchester City in the title race.
The Reds won despite seeing Jordan Henderson sent off for a second bookable offence with eight minutes to go.
Liverpool Not Good Enough to Win the Title Despite Another Clean Sheet
Liverpool may be in the thick of the title race, but the result proves the Reds aren't good enough to ultimately capture the title this season. It's a case of one step forward and two steps back for Jurgen Klopp's side.
The step forward is obvious in a defence that's gone from one of the more suspect in England's top flight to one of the toughest. A stingy unit buoyed by the big-money signings of centre-back Virgil van Dijk and goalkeeper Alisson Becker earlier this year has surrendered just five goals, the joint-fewest in the division with City.
Klopp must rue his luck when he thinks of how the attack has gone off the boil just as things at the back have settled. Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino are still an effective front three, but they are nowhere close to the prolific heights they reached last season.
A profligacy in front of goal has cost Liverpool more than once this season. It allowed the Hornets to stay in the game during the first half:
As good as Ben Foster was in the Watford goal, it's fair to say many of the chances the Reds created would have gone in last season.
While Salah eventually got his goal six minutes after the hour mark, it only came after several instances of the front three struggling to combine with the same ease and fluidity as last season:
It was a far cry from when Salah hit four when Liverpool last played Watford back in March. It was also no surprise it took a special free-kick from a defender, right-back Alexander-Arnold, to double the Reds' tally and make this result safe.
In fairness to Salah and Co., their efforts are hardly being helped by a midfield lacking the necessary craft. A workmanlike group led by Henderson lacks the vision and flair to supply enough chances for the match-winners in front of them.
It means the creative burden is equal to the scoring responsibility facing Salah, Mane and Firmino.
A midfield lacking ideas and a forward line not quite as potent as it used to be will ultimately keep the title out of Liverpool's reach.
Daniel Sturridge Deserves Chance to Replace Roberto Firmino
One tweak the Reds could count on to make a difference would be to let Daniel Sturridge replace Firmino up top. The latter usually operates through the middle but has never been a natural No. 9.
Firmino's range of passing remains impressive, particularly the ball to release Mane to tee up Salah for the opening goal. What is less impressive is the Brazil international's meagre goal haul in the league.
He's found the net a mere three times during 12 starts, while Sturridge has managed just one fewer from only one start and six appearances off the substitutes bench.
An example of Firmino's natural inclination to create rather than take chances on came during the first half, along with another instance of his wayward finishing:
There's more cutting edge when Sturridge starts because he has the selfishness in the box all goalscorers need. Aside from being more instinctive and decisive from close range, Sturridge also has a flair for the spectacular, evidenced by his stunning long-range effort to earn a point at Chelsea back in September.
It's time for Klopp to give the 29-year-old true centre-forward his chance to prove he can add the spark up front Liverpool have been missing at times this season.
What's Next
Liverpool travel to face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, while Watford are at Leicester City in the Premier League next Saturday.