Reds can steal a march on top four rivals

Klopp’s men to put the pressure on Manchester clubs

Liverpool face a tricky trip to Watford this bank holiday Monday, but with a win in the capital, the Reds will give themselves every chance of finishing in the top four this season.

The Anfield club currently sit in third, level on points and goal difference with Manchester City, only benefiting from the fact that they’ve scored more goals than the Citizens so far this season. Bitter rivals Manchester United are only a point behind in fifth, so the race for a lucrative Champions League spot couldn’t be tighter.

This Monday night’s game at Vicarage Road is a chance for Liverpool to make it three consecutive away victories, something they’ve not achieved in the league since September/October 2016. Despite this, Coral still have them as the 4/7 favourites to win the game, with Watford 19/4 and the draw available at 10/3.

Head to head form favours the visitors

Of the nine clashes between the clubs since 1999, Liverpool have been victorious on seven occasions, with the other two games going the way of the Hornets, the latest of those coming in December 2015.

Liverpool have won the last two meetings, the first of which was a routine 2-0 win last May and the most recent being a convincing 6-1 thrashing in November, where Sadio Mane stole the show at Anfield, so it’s understandable that Jurgen Klopp’s side are favoured by bookmakers to take the three points.

Brazilians in form

In their last five games for the Reds, Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino have scored six of the team’s nine goals between them, so it could be worth keeping an eye on them in the first goalscorer market.

Coutinho (4) has netted more than Firmino (2) in the last five games and is probably Liverpool’s most in form player heading into this game, but Firmino is a goal ahead overall in the league so far with 11 to Coutinho’s 10. Unsurprisingly, the two compatriots cannot be separated in the betting, with both being offered at a tentative 4/1 to bag the game’s first goal by our traders.

Injury boosts for Reds

Key midfielder Adam Lallana has been training with the first team following injury and if he were to feature, he would be a massive boost for the Reds in a creative sense, with Mane side-lined for the foreseeable future.

Daniel Sturridge has also returned to full training and is an option for Klopp off the bench if they are struggling to break down the stubborn Watford defence, so he could worth a tipple at 9/2 to score the game’s final goal.

Liverpool should win the game but are prone to conceding goals, particularly from set pieces, and so the 21/10 for the Reds to win and both teams to score looks particularly tempting. If you fancy a shock though, Watford’s last three victories have come without conceding, and backing the hosts to win to nil is generous at 10/1.

However you think the game will pan out, make sure you get your bets on with Coral!