Liverpool face Watford at Anfield this evening looking to return to winning ways; here are the best stats and facts ahead of kickoff.
Not so close encounters
The Reds have scored 20 goals in the last 6 meetings with Watford home and away, conceding just four in that time.
In all competitions Liverpool have won 10 of the last 12 encounters meetings home and away and 13 of the last 16.
In the Premier League Liverpool have won eight and lost two of the 11 clashes with one draw, while at Anfield they have won four out of five, suffering one defeat.
On the last four occasions Liverpool have faced Watford on Merseyside the Reds have scored 15 times in total, with 11 coming in the last two.
The Reds have scored three or more goals in seven of the 11 previous Anfield league meetings.
Mo loves facing Watford
Mo Salah scored on his Liverpool debut against Watford at Vicarage Road in August 2017.
When scoring four in this clash last season, Salah became the first Liverpool player to net four in a league game since Luis Suarez against Norwich in December 2013 and the first to score a hat-trick for the club against the Hornets.
Salah has scored six goals in his three appearances against Watford with only Ian Rush having recorded more – he has 10 from 11 appearances in all competitions.
Salah has scored 29 goals in 31 league starts for the Reds at Anfield since joining from Roma at the beginning of last season.
He is one goal away from scoring 50 in the league for Liverpool in fewer games than any other player in the club’s history. This is his 64th game and the record is currently held by Fernando Torres (72 matches).
The Premier League record for reaching 50 in fewest games for a single club is 66 matches, held by Alan Shearer while he was with Blackburn.
Notable names
Gini Wijnaldum‘s first goal for the Reds came at Watford in November 2016 after coming on as a substitute – the Reds winning 6-1.
Roberto Firmino has found the net five times in his seven games against this evening’s opposition while Sadio Mane has 3 in 4.
The last Liverpool player to score a league hat-trick at Anfield against the same team in successive seasons is Robbie Fowler, who did so against Arsenal in 1994-95 and 1995-96.
Don’t expect another 0-0
The Reds have drawn four of their last five league and cup outings.
Sunday’s 0-0 at Old Trafford was the first time Jurgen Klopp had presided over successive goalless draws as Liverpool manager.
He has never witnessed successive 0-0’s in the league as Reds boss.
Liverpool last played out successive goalless draws in the league in April 2013 – at home to West Ham and away at Reading. They have never played out three goalless draws in a row.
They are yet to play out a goalless draw with Watford in the 23 league meetings – all of which have been played in the top-flight.
Edging closer
Liverpool are at the top of the table after 27 games of a Premier League season for only the second time and the first since 2001-02.
Watford view
Against Brighton earlier this month Javi Gracia took charge of Watford for a club record 39th time in the Premier League.
Watford‘s win at Cardiff last Friday was their fifth on the road during this league campaign. The other cames at Burnley, Wolves, West Ham and Crystal Palace.
The Hornets have conceded just one goal in the last four games in league and cup.
In the 2-1 defeat at Tottenham last month they recorded their 17th away league goal of the campaign to equal the total they achieved in the whole of the 2017-18 season. They have since taken that tally to 22.
In all competitions Watford have lost just one of the last 11 matches, winning six and drawing the other four.
Away from Vicarage Road in the league, Javi Gracia’s men have suffered defeat just once in the last seven games, at Wembley against Tottenham last month, with three wins and three draws in that sequence.
Scorers this season
Liverpool: Salah 20, Mane 13, Firmino 11, Milner 5, Shaqiri 6, Sturridge 4, Origi 2, Alexander-Arnold 1, Fabinho 1, Lovren 1, Matip 1, van Dijk 1, Wijnaldum 2, own goals 2.
Watford: Deeney 8, Deulofeu 6, Pereyra 6, Gray 5, Success 4, Capoue 3, Cathcart 3, Doucoure 3, Holebas 3, Hughes 2, Quina 2, Cleverley 1, Sema 1, own goals 1.
* All statistics courtesy of Liverpool statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).
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