Liverpool vs Watford LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction after Diogo Jota and Fabinho goals
Liverpool 2-0 Watford: Diogo Jota and Fabinho scored as the Reds eased to victory at Anfield
Liverpool leapfrogged champions Manchester City to the top of the Premier League table with a 2-0 win over Watford at Anfield on Saturday thanks to a first-half header by Diogo Jota and a late Fabinho penalty.
The hosts grabbed the lead moments after goalkeeper Alisson Becker denied Watford’s Juraj Kucka with a sharp save, as Jota timed his run to perfection at the other end and nodded in a cross from Joe Gomez in the 22nd minute.
It was Portuguese forward Jota’s 14th league goal and 20th in all competitions this season, and the 25-year-old could have added to his tally shortly afterwards but for goalkeeper Ben Foster, who saved his effort from close range.
Substitute Fabinho made sure of the three points in the 89th minute by blasting his spot kick into the top corner after the Video Assistant Referee spotted a foul by Kucka on Jota in the penalty area.
The result meant Liverpool have 72 points from 30 matches, two points more than City ahead of the two sides’ blockbuster clash next weekend. Pep Guardiola’s men can reclaim their lead and a one-point advantage if they beat Burnley later on Saturday.
Former Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson’s relegation-threatened Watford pushed for an equaliser in the second half but could not prevent the home side from wrapping up a 10th straight league victory. Watford remain 18th with 22 points.
Fred rescues draw as Manchester United struggle against Leicester
Manchester United delivered a lacklustre performance in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo but Fred rescued a point in a 1-1 draw against Leicester at Old Trafford.
United lacked a cutting edge without Ronaldo, who missed out because of illness, and they fell behind just after the hour mark when Kelechi Iheanacho bent down to head beyond goalkeeper David de Gea.
The hosts levelled within three minutes of going behind as Fred slotted in after Kasper Schmeichel had saved Bruno Fernandes’ low effort but it was Leicester who appeared likeliest to score again.
De Gea magnificently sprang to his right to keep out Wesley Fofana’s header while Leicester rued the video assistant referee as the lively James Maddison’s goal was chalked off for a foul in the build-up.
Fred rescues draw as Manchester United struggle against Leicester
Kelechi Iheanacho had put the Foxes in front at Old Trafford.
Man Utd 1 - 1 Leicester
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers talking to Sky Sports: “I thought we were very good in large spells of the game. We started well and could have bene precise with out passing but in the main the positioning and movement was good. The second half we scored a couple of great goals, their keeper makes a great save and we are bitterly disappointed not to get the goal.
“Raphael Varane has used his experience, he gets the contact and goes down. There were opportunities for them to clear it but we were deserving of that.
“Every week we are seeing this types of actions, we felt we deserved to win the game.
“We had one in the season when Ayoze Perez was sent off, that one was similar, the ball gets way he has to make a challenge. We got the yellow.
“Jonny Evans’ calf tightened up after the international game but I was very happy with the team and back to where we have been the last few years. Playing good football and looking a threat.
“It was a good performance away here, disappointed to not win and that is always a good sign. The football was very good but we passed it well a lot of the time and got into some good areas. But for a decision, we would have won the game.”
Man Utd 1 - 1 Leicester
Reaction from James Maddison
“The disallowed goal is one of them – you see them given and you see them not given. I’m obviously going to be biased and say it’s not a foul. As soon as he goes over to the monitor you know.
“I saw Varane go down. The way he went down I thought it was a twist injury. As soon as the referee went to the monitor I knew something was going to happen that was going to spoil my party.
“The performance was good. We stamped our authority and we come away a little disappointed that we didn’t get three points. We could have got more from the game. They scored so quickly after us, which got Old Trafford bouncing again and got them pushing as the home team.
“I thought we were dominant in the first half. Sometimes you can almost feel in control even without the ball. They obviously played with Bruno and Pogba without a recognised striker. They’ve got tricky players in wide areas, but I felt we were in control. We were actually the better team.”
Man Utd 1 - 1 Leicester
Another draw for Manchester United under Ralf Rangnick. They’re now three points behind Arsenal having played two games more.
Man Utd 1 - 1 Leicester
Fred is the seventh player to score on his 100th Premier League appearance for Manchester United and the first since Marcus Rashford, also against Leicester in February 2019.
Man Utd 1 - 1 Leicester
Manchester United remain in sixth place but cut the gap on Arsenal to three points. They have played two games more than the Gunners though and it’s looking harder and harder for them to get back into the top four.
Leicester are now up to ninth but have a ways to go to catch West Ham who are 11 points ahead of them in eighth.
Full-time: Man Utd 1 - 1 Leicester
90+6 mins: Manchester United win a corner from a counter-attack and have one last chance to score. The cross comes into the area and it’s won by Harry Maguire. He nods the ball into the gorund but it bounces up nicely and gets claimed by Kasper Schmeichel.
It’s the last action of the game as the final whistle goes and the points are shared.
Man Utd 1 - 1 Leicester
90+3 mins: Chance! That was it. This was the moment for Manchester United. Dalot swings the ball in from the right wing and Leicester fail to clear it. Rashford can’t bring the ball unde control for a shot but it bounces through to Sancho who spoons his effort wide of the near post!
Man Utd 1 - 1 Leicester
90 mins: Five minutes of added time to play. That’s plenty of time for someone to win this game. Mendy and Iheanacho are taken off by Brendan Rodgers with Hamza Choudhury and Patson Daka replacing them.
Man Utd 1 - 1 Leicester
87 mins: Manchester United win a corner that gets swung into the box. It almost drops for Varane but Leicester scramble it clear. Man Utd are stepping onto the front foot now and pushing for the winning goal. Will they get one?
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