Ighalo brace helps Watford sink Liverpool

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp accused his players of losing their minds in the wake of their Premier League horror show against high-flying Watford at Vicarage Road yesterday. The 27-year-old was faced with his first corner in the big-time and with little pressure he managed to get two hands on the ball, however he fumbled it in front of Nathan Ake who toed it home to give Watford an early lead.

Klopp did not send on Christian Benteke until the 74th minute but he rejected suggestions that the Belgian could be sold in January with Chelsea apparently interested.

Watford’s Odion Ighalo celebrates scoring his team’s third goal.

“We made bigger faults than the ref. But in my opinion, you have got to save the ball, you have to have both hands on the ball and he [Bogdan] had both hands on the ball, so it’s a foul”.

“I am always confident when preparing for the match because what I am planning I know the players will do on the pitch”.

Liverpool had salvaged a 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion thanks to a Divock Origi goal deep into injury time, and Can said that game was a good example of the strengths and weaknesses of the side.

“We are a motivated team and I’m happy we got the win and I’m happy to get the goals but it was really a good team performance”. There was a big space between what we wanted to do and what happene and that’s what we have to fill before the next game against Leicester [on Boxing Day]. We were playing at home, so they’re the one that has to be afraid because we’ve come back from three wins and they’re the ones that need to win. “Now everyone saw the complete other side”, Klopp said.

I’d say that won’t be easy, but you already know that, don’t you?

“It’s not that bad”.

And, for all caretaker manager Alan Curtis’ experience in the game, the appointment remains a pressing issue as Swansea have now only won once in 13 games and find themselves in real danger at the foot of the table.

Liverpool were rendered toothless in attack by Klopp’s decision to field Roberto Firmino as a false nine.

Trouble wasn’t over for Bogdan either, after he was soon beaten again when Watford captain Troy Deeney sent leading scorer Odion Ighalo away to net for the fourth game in succession.

Klopp conceded that with hindsight he may have selected a different starting line-up, but in the same breath defended his right to rotate his squad. “We have a lot of matches and we never underestimate the teams we play”.

He previously criticised them for dropping their heads when Southampton equalised at Anfield with a quarter of an hour still to play.