When your backline is as good as Liverpool’s, you can win 3-0 against a good side without ever really getting out of second gear.
That’s what happened at Vicarage Road yesterday, with the match fairly innocuous until the 67th minute when Liverpool took the lead through Mo Salah.
Goals from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Roberto Firmino put gloss on a scoreline that at one point looked out of reach.
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So far this Premier League season, Liverpool have conceded just five goals, which is the fewest we’ve let in at this stage of a season ever.
That’s largely down to the brilliance of Virgil van Dijk and the central defender alongside him – whether that’s Joe Gomez or Dejan Lovren as it was against Watford.
Versus the Hornets, the Croat was a real rock and combined with the Dutchman racked up some quite astonishing defensive stats, which you can check out in the tweet below:
Virgil van Dijk & Dejan Lovren vs Watford
88% and 81% passing
16/17 aerial duels
13 clearances
4 interceptions
3/3 tackles
Dribbled past 0 timesImpeccable. 👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/gpvvRC0ZAr
— LFC Stats (@LFCData) November 24, 2018
To think, Lovren only started the game due to Gomez picking up an ankle knock!
Right now, the defensive options at Jurgen Klopp’s disposal really are sublime.