Watford vs Liverpool – Match Preview

The final action of this Bank Holiday Premier League weekend takes us to Vicarage Road as Watford play host to Liverpool with the race for the Champions League places once again blown wide open due to the results that happened yesterday.

If you were Jurgen Klopp then you arguably could not have wished for a better set of results as both Manchester clubs drew while Arsenal ended up on the losing side of the North London Derby, a result which means Tottenham secure finishing above their arch rivals in this campaign.

For Liverpool it looked almost doom and gloom after defeat to Crystal Palace eight days ago but the opportunity has once again presented itself for The Reds to put a top four finish in their own hands. All they have to do is win all their matches between now and the final day.

That statement must come with some caution though as I said the same thing the Sunday before last and they were haunted by Liverpool old boy Christian Benteke. The brace of goals from the Belgian meant that Palace took an almighty step to Premier League survival.

So it’s almost as if the clock has been reset and we are back to were we were as a win for Liverpool would see them go three points clear of Manchester City, while a further point clear of Manchester United. But they do have to make sure the clear the hurdle of Walter Mazzari’s Watfiord.

They currently find themselves in 13th place but more importantly on the hallowed marker of 40 points. They have not played since the Saturday before last and they came in from some criticism after their defeat to relegation threatened Hull.

And it was not just external criticism either as club captain Troy Deeney was not happy with the way his team-mates performed. It was the kind of showing that looked like Watford were already on the beach with the cigars hanging out what with safety all but secured.

Securing Premier League status is all very way but you get the feeling that Walter Mazzari needs to finish the season strongly to make sure he starts in charge of the club once again when August comes around a new campaign kicks off in August.

There are three points separating 9th to 16th at present and Watford could either cap their season off with a top half finish or they could sit just above the relegation zone. That is how fine the margins are at present and it’s those margins that could ultimately decide whether or not Mazzari stays in the Vicarage Road hotseat.

A win for Watford would see them move back up 9th and then make mathematically certain that they will stay up this season, the last time these two sides met here it ended in a 3-o win for Watford. That was when Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo were terrorising Premier League defences for fun.

But you must not forget that the last time these two sides met was a 6-1 win for Liverpool. It was an emphatic performance by Liverpool that afternoon, one that took them top of the table. The wheels have slowed down slightly since as a poor start to the new year and beyond has seen the Merseysiders lose pace in the race for the title.

In their defeat to Crystal Palace eight days ago one of the criticisms that Liverpool came in for was their apparent lack of depth especially in regards to someone being able to come off the bench and change the flow of the game. Arguably it highlighted Jurgen Klopp’s lack of transfers in the January window.

Be that as it may he has not been helped by recent injuries but there is good news as both Adam Lallana and Daniel Sturridge are set to return for Tonight’s encounter. That should Liverpool a timely boost especially the return of Lallana.

Can Watford bounce back into the top half or can Liverpool bounce back from disappointment, I have a feeling it is going to be the latter as this Watford team have pretty much all but downed tools now. Therefore it’s an away win and advantage Liverpool in the race for a top four spot.