Liverpool 5 - 0 Watford

Liverpool: Mane 9’ 20’, Origi 66’, Van Dijk 79’, 83’
Watford: N/A

• Pre-match Thought: A couple of surprises from Kloppo as Divock Origi gets the call over Xherdan Shaqiri (or perhaps less shockingly, over Daniel Sturridge), and James Milner gets the call over Naby Keita (or perhaps less shockingly, over Jordan Henderson). Other than the big, Roberto Firmino shaped hole in the squad, it’s a strong line up, and Liverpool will be looking to get back to their winning ways tonight over Watford.
• We have Alisson Becker in his bright pink keeper’s gear. We’ll be fine.
• Milner makes an early gut-busting run from the midfield to press the keeper, and actually gets a sizeable piece of the clearance, but Foster recovers in time to deny Milly a rare goal from a rebound.
• GOAL! Welcome back Trent Alexander-Arnold! The young Scouser whips in a peach of a cross, putting it on a plate for Sadio Mane to finish with a glancing header. Brilliant.
• Liverpool have their tails up after that first goal, with Salah, Mane, Origi, and Alexander-Arnold all playing some beautiful stuff on the break. If this keeps up, it won’t be long before these Reds get a second.
• GOAL!! Two for Liverpool, two for Mane! And two assists for Trent! TAA picks out Mane in teh middle of the box again, but a poor first touch takes it away from Sadio. No worries, he’ll just chip the keeper with a cheeky backheel finish.
• Fabinho is quietly having a fantastic first half. He’s made some important recoveries and tackles when it looked as if Watford were about to break on goal, really freeing up Robertson and Alexander-Arnold to push forward and help with the attack.
• Salah somehow, against all logic, almost finds a third. He muscles off a defender, a surprises Foster with a right-footed effort from a tight angle. Even Foster is surprised that he managed to tip that onto the bar, if only by accident.
• Watford create their biggest chance of the night (and they haven’t created much at all so far). Deulofeu picks out Troy Deeney in front of goal, but the striker can’t but the chance on target.
• Halftime Thought: That was just about the most fun we’ve had in a first half all season. It helps that this Watford side are pretty wide open themselves, but Liverpool have hurt the visitors with two goals of the highest quality. A third one should be enough to put this game to bed, so please, do that that Liverpool.
• Liverpool starting the second half like they played the first, with dangerous build-up play from Salah et al. The home side is still looking the far more dangerous of the two.
• GOAL!!! Origi makes it a party! The striker has looked bright tonight without ever looking like he was scoring. That’s all changed now, as Divock cut in from the left to fire a low right-footed shot from around 12 yards out, beating Foster to the near post.
• Kloppo makes his first change of the night, brining captain Jordan Henderson on for the vice captain.
• Alisson called into action for really the first time tonight, denying Andre Gray from a tight angle, pushing the finish wide and out of harms way. And a moment later, he makes BIG save from a Watford set play that looked like it was going to be a certain goal.
• Now it’s Mane’s turn to make way for Adam Lallana. Sorry, Sadio, no hat trick tonight.
• GOAL!!! TAA gets a third assist on the night! Lallana wins a free kick in a wide area, and Alexander-Arnold puts it on a plate for Big Virgil van Dijk to gobble it all up. And he did with a bullet header, giving Foster no chance.
• GOAL!!! Van Dijk gets a second from yet another set play. This time it’s the other fullback supplying, but the result is the same: a goal for Liverpool.
• Final Whistle Thought: You wanted a response after Sunday’s draw? How about that for a fucking response. It was a dominating performance from start to finish, for Liverpool’s biggest win of the season.

We’ll be back shortly to take an in-depth look at everything that happened in today’s game with the full recap. Until then, let us know your take on the ups and downs of the match in the comments, and if you haven’t already, join the community on the Liverpool Offside, where we’ll have full coverage and lively in-game discussion for every match this season.