Wat-the-ford!
London, March 1
Liverpool’s unbeaten season in the Premier League was ended in spectacular fashion as Ismaila Sarr’s double moved Watford out of the relegation zone with a 3-0 win at the Vicarage Road.
The comprehensive scoreline helped the Hornets edge ahead of Bournemouth, who held Chelsea to a 2-2 draw, while West Ham also boosted their chances of survival with a 3-1 win over Southampton on Saturday.
Liverpool remain 22 points clear and well on course for a first league title in 30 years. But their hopes of doing so by matching Arsenal’s invincible season in 2003/04 were ended by an inspired display by Watford.
“You have to accept it, it’s not so easy, but it’s the proof we were not good enough tonight,” said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp after his team’s 44-game run without defeat in the league came to a screeching halt as Sarr struck twice in six minutes early in the second half before the Senegalese turned provider for Troy Deeney to wrap up a famous win.
No Neymar, no problem
Paris: Kylian Mbappe scored twice and grabbed an assist as runaway Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain coasted to a 4-0 win over Dijon despite the absence of the suspended Neymar.
Pablo Sarabia struck the opener inside three minutes at the Parc des Princes, as PSG played without Neymar who was serving a one-match ban after his red card in last week’s win over Bordeaux.
Dijon, who beat PSG 2-1 at home in November, are hovering just above the relegation playoff place but held out for 70 minutes before PSG added a second through Mbappe. The France international then set up Mauro Icardi for a third goal just moments after the Argentine came on as a replacement for Edinson Cavani. Mbappe bagged his second and PSG’s fourth in stoppage time as Thomas Tuchel’s side preserved their 13-point lead over Marseille at the top of the table.
“It was a good match. We were able to score quickly which settled us down,” said PSG captain Marquinhos.
PSG travel to Lyon on Wednesday for a French Cup semi-final and play Strasbourg next weekend, with the return leg against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on March 11.
United held in thriller
Liverpool: Everton and Manchester United drew 1-1 at Goodison Park in the today in an enthralling game which ended with late VAR drama and home manager Carlo Ancelotti sent off.
A superb 31st-minute strike from United midfielder Bruno Fernandes had replied to Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s early opener and the Everton striker thought he had grabbed the three points in stoppage time with a low shot that deflected off Harry Maguire but his effort was ruled out by VAR.
Meanwhile, Tottenham fell at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers in a 3-2 loss.
Atletico’s poor run still on
Barcelona: Atletico Madrid’s poor domestic form continued as they could only draw 1-1 away to La Liga’s bottom side Espanyol today.
Diego Simeone’s side had been lifted by last week’s 3-1 win over Villarreal and their 1-0 Champions League success over Liverpool but struggled against a determined Espanyol and fell behind through an own goal from Stefan Savic in the 24th minute. Atletico are fourth in the standings on 44 points after 26 matches, one ahead of Real Sociedad in fifth and two above sixth-placed Getafe. — Agencies
44 The defeat ended Liverpool’s 44-game unbeaten run in the league since January 2019
18 The Reds also ended their winning run in the Premier League at 18 — a record tied with Manchester City
2 Liverpool conceded more than once in consecutive games in the Premier League for the first time since December 2016
2nd The defeat suffered was the heaviest by an English top-flight leader against an opponent in the relegation zone since Leicester beat Manchester United 3-0 in November 1985
422 days The Mersyside club recorded 422 days unbeaten in the Premier League until their game against the Hornets. They won 39 and drew five of their 44 league matches in that period
