Watford v Liverpool: Premier League – live! | Football

Watford (4-2-3-1) Foster; Kiko Femenia, Kabasele, Cathcart, Masina; Hughes, Capoue; Sarr, Doucoure, Deulofeu; Deeney.
Substitutes: Gomes, Dawson, Chalobah, Pussetto, Pereyra, Welbeck, Gray.

Liverpool (4-3-3) Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, van Dijk, Robertson; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Substitutes: Adrian, Matip, Hoever, Lallana, Jones, Minamino, Origi.

Referee Michael Oliver.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Watford v Liverpool from Vicarage Road. Even allowing for the received wisdom that football is a funny old game, it would be seriously bizarre if Liverpool were denied their first title for 30 years because of a pandemic.

If the coronavirus does not end the season early, Liverpool need 12 points from their last 11 games to clinch their first Premier League title. They could still do it at Everton on 16 March, the third of those 11 games, should Manchester City drop points in the meantime. For the time being, their focus is on beating Watford and extending their lead to 25 points. Yawn, meh, 25 points.

Hang on, 25 points?! I’m not sure Liverpool are getting enough credit. You might not like them, you might think the Premier League is a bit naff, you might be sick of the sight of Jurgen Klopp’s teeth, but come on: they’ve won 35 of their last 36 league games FFS! That has never happened before in Europe’s biggest leagues. In fact, their record this season – P27 W26 D1 L0 – belongs in Sunday League football.

There is one difference. A team with 26 wins from 27 in Sunday League football would have a goal difference of around +200. Liverpool’s is a mere +47, and 13 of their 26 victories this season have been by a single goal – many of them requiring late winners. That might be the reason for the slightly muted response to win after win after win; it feels like Manchester City received more effusive praise two years ago when they regularly thumped teams by four or five.

I also think there’s an element of everyone – even Liverpool fans – struggling to get their head around such unprecedented threepointery. Or maybe the world is full of Expected Goals disciples. Liverpool are second in the xG table, although an Expected Win tonight will move them within two Expected Points of Manchester City.

I’d argue that Liverpool having to work so hard for many wius actually enhances rather than diminishes their achievement. The soundbites may be cheesy but they’re also true: Liverpool are mentality monsters, the toughest in English football for a long while.

Watford played well in a 2-0 defeat at Anfield in December, so you never know what might happen tonight. But 106 points from the last 108 available should give you a pretty good idea.

Kick off is at 5.30pm.