Football News

    Nine stats that sum up just how shocking Watford’s 3-0 win over Liverpool is

    By Harry Edwards

    Published: 20:42, 29 February 2020

    Wow. Who expected that!?

    After 28 games, Liverpool have finally been beaten in the Premier League, losing 3-0 to Watford at Vicarage Road.

    They still remain 22 points clear at the top of the table and are just four wins away from winning the trophy for the first time in 30 years, but Jurgen Klopp’s men have been proven beatable in the Premier League.

    Naturally, in a surprise result such as this, there were some incredible stats and we’ve rounded them up for you.

    1. The streak… is over

    Starting with the obvious one, Liverpool’s defeat to Watford means their quest for an invincible season is over. But not only that, it was the first time they have tasted defeat in the league since January 2019, a run of 44 games.

    That was not the only streak to fall, however. Liverpool also ended their winning run in the Premier League at 18, which was a record tied with Manchester City.

    2. Watford first team to keep Liverpool out since March 2019

    If you don’t concede, you don’t lose, as the slightly negative football mantra goes. But Watford will not care given they ended up with three points to go with their clean sheet.

    Watford are the first side to prevent Liverpool from scoring in the Premier League this season, doing so at the 28th attempt. Extending the run, Liverpool had not failed to score since a goalless draw with Everton in March 2019, a run of 36 games.

    3. Liverpool firing blanks

    Key to Watford’s clean sheet was their resolute defence that looked to starve Liverpool of chances, a tactic that clearly worked.

    The Reds managed just two shots from inside the Watford penalty area at Vicarage Road and seven in total.

    4. Liverpool’s leaky defence

    Some (more pessimistic) Liverpool supporters may have felt the defeat was coming. The Reds were slightly fortunate to beat West Ham last week, having to come from behind to win 3-2.

    Their recent defensive frailties continued on Saturday as they let in another two, and then another. It was the first time since December 2016 that Liverpool have conceded more than once in consecutive Premier League games, then losing 4-3 to Bournemouth before drawing 2-2 with West Ham.

    5. Liverpool struggle to overturn two-goal deficit

    Naturally most teams would struggle when going two goals down and for Liverpool it is no different.

    Although Saturday was the first time since March 2018 that they went two goals behind – to Manchester United at Old Trafford – it was the ninth time in a row they had lost a game from that position.

    6. Van Dijk’s heaviest league defeat since 2017

    Although Virgil van Dijk has lost his fair share of games by 3-0 margins, in the Premier League they have been rare of late.

    Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat to Watford was Van Dijk’s heaviest in the league since December 2017 when Southampton were beaten 4-1 at home by Leicester City, the Dutchman’s final appearance for the south coast club.

    It was also only the second time he has lost by three goals at Liverpool, after the 3-0 defeat to Barcelona in last season’s Champions League final, though we all know what happened next.

    7. Watford strike again

    The 3-0 defeat to Watford on Saturday was not the first time Liverpool had lost by that scoreline in the Premier League under Jurgen Klopp. They have done so on one other occasion.

    Back in December 2015, during Klopp’s first season Liverpool were handed a big 3-0 away defeat in the Premier League in what was a rough patch. The opponents that day? Watford.

    8. Sarr enjoys Leap Day

    Fans of “On This Day” memories will have to wait four years to relive this moment, but it is one Ismaila Sarr will never forget.

    The Senegalese forward was excellent at Vicarage Road and was directly involved in all three of Watford’s goals, scoring two and setting up Troy Deeney for the third.

    Sarr is the first player to be directly involved in three goals against Liverpool in a single Premier League games since Harry Kane did so in October 2017.

    9. Heaviest top-flight defeat against relegation battler since 1985

    This weekend has been a big one for shocks with 20th-placed Norwich City beating third-placed Leicester City on Friday before 19th-placed Watford’s win over league leaders Liverpool.

    But to make Watford’s victory even more significant, it was the heaviest defeat by a English top-flight leader against an opponent in the relegation zone since Leicester beat Manchester United 3-0 in November 1985.

    Arsenal thankful for Watford

    Although Liverpool will still roll on to the Premier League title, they will have to do so without an invincible season. Also ending their unbeaten run at 44, it means Arsenal remain unopposed in the history books.

    They are still the only side to finish a Premier League campaign without defeat, and their 50-game unbeaten run remains untouched. A highlight in what has been a disappointing season for the Gunners.

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