Liverpool well beaten by buoyant Watford

REUTERS: Odion Ighalo scored twice as a buoyant Watford won 3-0 at home to Liverpool on Sunday to consolidate seventh position in the Premier League, only one point behind the top four.

It was a bad blow for Juergen Klopp’s side, who would have overtaken them with a win but remained ninth, having taken only one point from three games.

Nathan Ake, the Dutch Under-21 international on loan from Chelsea, scored in only the third minute after a howler from Hungarian goalkeeper Adam Bogdan, who was deputising for the injured Simon Mignolet.

Bogdan was soon beaten again on an unhappy league debut when Watford captain Troy Deeney sent leading scorer Ighalo away to net for the fourth game in succession. The Nigerian made it 12 for the season five minutes from time.

It was the first time since April 1987 that Watford, promoted to the top flight again this season, have won four successive games at this level of English football.

Deeney and Ighalo have now scored 17 of the team’s 21 goals between them this season. 

This eighth victory from 17 games leaves them handsomely placed although a tricky program awaits over the festive period with games against Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.