I suppose there comes a time where we simply have to win if we are to take this league. At OT you take a point and that's fine but home games like this and we simply have to get 3 points.
Not only home games. Every game when city win. If we draw against Watford we are officially collapsing from the pressure. Simply cannot happen.
Paul Merson has gone for narrow home win. Liverpool vs Watford (Wednesday, 8pm) Watford are 12/1 to win this football match, which is ridiculous. Ridiculous. This is a dangerous game for Liverpool; the pressure is on, and they have to win. Watford have just come off a 5-1 win, Liverpool have just come out of a hard week and Roberto Firmino is injured. I'm tipping Liverpool to win it, just, but I would not be shocked one iota if Watford got something from this game. I can't explain what an unbelievable banana skin this is. If Watford had been beaten by Cardiff, this would be a walk in the park for Liverpool, but all of a sudden Watford are turning up there and thinking they've got nothing to lose. They'll have a go. PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (8/1 with Sky Bet)
Whereas I agree this is a potential bananaskin, I disagree that it being so has anything to do with Watford beating Cardiff. Paul Merson is showing a form of gamblers fallacy in suggesting the result in that game will determine what happens in ours. If anything, the result of the Cardiff game would help us, because Watford will feel jubilant and more likely to attack as a result of that game... However, I consider them more professional that that. The game will be hard because Watford are a decent top half team this year... And not because Cardiff lost to them.
You are right. cardiff result has nothing to do with it. Look watford are mixed. They lost narrowly to spurs, but hammers cardiff (who are traumatised) and beat everton narrowly. so what? the real story is watford are currently 7th placed in table or in other words best of the rest. merson just needs a comment to make and falls back on whats just happened. I would have said. 7th placed side is visiting 1st placed side. 7th placed side have 6h best away form in prem at 5-5-4 which is only 2 points worse than cheslea's away record. They've conceded 17 in 14 games away form home. This will be a tight game. conversely LFC have a record of 11-2-0 at home and have only conceded 7 in 13 home games while scoring 35. this has draw written on it.
The real story is that 7th placed team has a points haul of 40 compared to 66 for 1st placed team, and a GD of 4 compared to 44. Therefore it has home win written all over it, which is why few people are betting on Watford and why the odds are what they are. Of course football is a fickle game, and long shots do come in, however it is still a long shot, so why would anyone expect more people to be betting on it?
Lawro has gone for 2:0 home win. Liverpool v Watford (20:00 GMT) Manchester United and Liverpool both looked ordinary on Sunday and I just felt Manchester City would have reacted to what happened far better than Liverpool did. When United lost most of their midfield, City would have just gone 'bang' and blown them away, but that says a bit more about Liverpool at the moment than anything else. I just wonder whether Reds boss Jurgen Klopp might change things here, and go with the 4-2-3-1 that he has used quite a bit recently. That way, Xherdan Shaqiri comes in, Roberto Firmino drops deeper into the number 10 position and Salah goes through the middle as the centre-forward, rather than out wide. Shaqiri could be the player who gives Liverpool the boost they need, because he makes thing happen. This is a tricky week for the Reds, with the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park coming up on Sunday. What they really want ahead of that is a decent performance and a comfortable victory. I think they will get the win, but they are going to have work for it because Watford are on a good run and they will provide a serious test. Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Liverpool are sweating on the extent of Roberto Firmino’s ankle injury amid fears the Brazilian could face an extended spell on the sidelines. Firmino has undergone a scan on the problem which he suffered during the first half of the goalless Premier League draw at Manchester United on Sunday. The Brazilian initially attempted to play on after twisting his right ankle while making a pass. He shortly afterwards admitted defeat to the injury, and later left Old Trafford on crutches.” That's it at the moment.
