Football: Liverpool wins victory in Watford to keep up pressure on City

Nov. 24 (Reuters) – Liverpool maintained pressure on Manchester City with three goals in the second half, sealing a comfortable 3-0 win at Watford on Saturday.

After a tough first half, Mohamed Salah placed the ball in front of Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster in the 67th minute before English defender Trent Alexander-Arnold scored a second goal. goal.

The 20-year-old defeated Foster nine minutes later with a terrific 25-meter free-kick, before his international team-mate Jordan Henderson was fired for a second, punishable offense.

Liverpool, however, was not handicapped by their numerical disadvantage. Roberto Firmino added a third goal late in the game. The visitors extended their start of the season without defeat in the Premier League to 13 matches.

Juergen Klopp's team remains second with 33 points and leads Champions City by two points after Pep Guardiola's men defeated West Ham United 4-0 on Saturday. Watford slipped to ninth place after a third winless match.

"They had great chances in the first half and we struggled to create opportunities, but we have persevered." "That's the plus point of this team this year," Alexander-Arnold told the Premier League .

"We are happy to leave with the three points. After the international break, we have spotted a marker and hope to continue this momentum.

"A lot of people could turn to Manchester City and Chelsea games, but every game is important and if you get away with draws when you feel you should win, that's where you'll go wrong. .

"We have another massive game this weekend (against Everton, his inter-city rival)."

After an astonishing start to the season, Klopp's team conceded only four goals in 12 games, but was warned when Gerard Deulofeu scored an offside goal within three minutes.

This early drama quickly ended for the rest of the first half, however, and as City led beautifully to West Ham, Liverpool knew they needed to improve after the break.

Salah put them on their way, ending a move also involving Sadio Mane and Firmino.

Then, one week after registering his first international goal, Alexander-Arnold added a second on a sublime free kick.

Henderson's dismissal, eight minutes from the end, ruined Liverpool's day before Firmino was quick to return after Mane was denied to seal another comfortable win for Klopp's undefeated team.