Full Time: Watford 3-3 Liverpool
The turn of the season is just going downhill for Liverpool as just a day after they heard that star player Philippe Coutinho wants to leave, the team could not provide news for celebration. The Reds travelled to the Vicarage Road for the first game of the Premier League season and only managed to earn a 3-3 draw, starting their season with a blip.
Sadio Mane opened the scoring for Liverpool, pulling them back from 1-0 down while Roberto Firmino’s penalty put them back on terms yet again after they had let Mane’s equaliser get wasted. Mohamed Salah’s goal looked like it won Liverpool the game but Miguel Britos came up with a late goal to make sure that Watford ran away with a point.
Here’s how the Liverpool players fared in this exciting finish at Vicarage Road:
Liverpool Player Ratings
Simon Mignolet (7)
Hardly put a foot wrong and made a couple of excellent saves to keep his side in the hunt and could not do much to save any of the goals from the home side.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (7)
Showing maturity by the game, the youngster did no harm to his reputation as he stuck to his task on the flank and kept his side of the box away from danger.
Joel Matip (6)
Sat back and soaked up the pressure well while pushing the team ahead with every opportunity. Also came close to scoring when he hit the cross bar with a header from a corner.
Dejan Lovren (5)
Also came close to scoring but was just out of touch at the back as he should have done better for the first and third goals from Watford.
Alberto Moreno (6)
Though he did nothing particularly wrong, Moreno did not do enough to justify his selection in the team ahead of Andrew Robertson or James Milner.
Jordan Henderson (6)
Played some exquisite passes for the wingers but was a bit lethargic at the back and failed to provide proper cover for the back-4 that let in three goals against Watford.
Emre Can (7)
Was solid in the midfield and showed his worth to the side, picking up an assist for Liverpool’s first goal, and showing why Liverpool need to tie him down to a new deal.
Georginio Wijnaldum (6)
A couple of neat touches and exciting passes was all Wijnaldum could achieve on a night when he often drifted in and out of the game.
Mohamed Salah (7)
A goal to cap off his Premier League debut, who also won Liverpool the penalty from which they scored their 3rd goal. Announced himself in grand fashion back in England.
Sadio Mane (8)
Liverpool’s best player until he was on the pitch. Mane ran Watford ragged at times and created enough chances to keep up the pressure and scored from a well built up move from the visitors.
Roberto Firmino (7)
Hardly had a touch of the ball until he scored the penalty. Scored a goal and claimed an assist. Doesn’t look statistically bad, does it? Oh! Football is a funny old game.
Subs:
Divock Origi (6)
Came in to replace Mane but did not get enough services to test Gomes on goal for Watford.
James Milner (6)
Came on as a sub to play in the midfield and almost created a chance for Liverpool in the dying minutes of the game.
Joe Gomez (5)
Not a great return to Premier League action for Gomez, who gave away the foul that finally ended in Watford scoring the late equalizer.