Liverpool's unbeaten Premier League run ended by Watford
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp warned his side the Premier League title isn't won yet after a 44-game run without defeat in the league came to a crashing end as Watford beat the European champions 3-0 on Saturday.
Klopp's men still like a 22-point lead at the top of the table, but their sluggish return from a two-week winter break earlier this month was finally punished.
Ismaila Sarr's quickfire double and Troy Deeney's strike 18 minutes from time ended Liverpool's hopes of romping to an initial league title in 30 years with an unbeaten season.
"What the boys did up to now is exceptional nonetheless it isn't over," said Klopp.
"We did not expect the quantity of games we won. It had been never easy and it'll never be easy, so now let's keep on."
After single-goal victories over struggling Norwich and West Ham either side of a Champions League defeat at Atletico Madrid, Liverpool were comprehensively beaten at Vicarage Road.
A 55-point gap separated the sides before kick-off, but the out-of-sorts visitors didn't muster a good single effort on goal in the first 45 minutes.
"You break records because you are completely centered on each step you need to do," added Klopp. "For that you must perform. Tonight we weren't good enough."
Watford's bright start threatened to be blown off course when Gerard Deulofeu had to stretchered off with an awful looking knee injury that seems certain to get rid of his season.
Andy Robertson's driven effort finally forced Ben Foster into a save early in the next half, and Liverpool were beginning to build-up a head of steam, these were stung by two quick strikes by Sarr.
- 'Not acceptable' -
Firstly, the Senegalese beat Robertson to Abdoulaye Doucoure's low cross to stab home at the near post.
Six minutes later, Sarr had an excessive amount of pace for a flat-footed Liverpool defence as he raced onto Deeney's through ball and showed fantastic composure to lift the ball over the advancing Alisson Becker.
Sarr also had a major part to play in Watford's third as he pounced on a brief passback and had the vision to choose Deeney, who lofted the ball nonchalantly over Alisson to create it 3-0.
"It isn't acceptable we lose 3-0 here," said Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk. "We want to strike back right away."
Watford had thrown away a lead in three of their last four Premier League games to fall back to the bottom three.
However they never looked in virtually any danger of doing this again because they moved back out of the relegation zone on goal difference.
"It's such a crucial win for us. Nonetheless it is one win," said Watford boss Nigel Pearson.
"It's in our own hands, and we have to deliver that performance week in, week out."
Sarr should even have had a famous hat-trick with his final touch as he curled wide when one-on-one with Alisson.
However, that was the only gloss missing from a glorious night for Watford as Liverpool remain four wins away from the title.
