Watford Braces for Liverpool Siege on Saturday
Published August 12, 2017 by Florin P
Watford aims for a rare draw against Liverpool, with key players on the bench (12:30 p.m UK Time).
Liverpool players have prepared for a brand-new Premier League season by playing friendly games against some of the best teams in the world. The starting formation has changed each time, but on every occasion manager Klopp opted for an aggressive squad. The result is a bucketful of goals scored against top opposition, but also a high rate at conceding goals.
Watford Midfielders Hurt by Injuries
Watford begins the new season with another high profile match and the fans are counting on home pitch advantage to avoid defeat. Traditionally, playing in front of the home crowd has helped the team salvage points, even though they conceded plenty of goals. Against Liverpool, the defensive effort must be flawless but they also need to take more chances upfront.
A total of six players are either confirmed to miss the fixture or still mend their injuries a couple of days before kickoff. All of them serve defensive roles, some in the backline and others in the midfield, so Watford will be under tremendous pressure. Scoring a goal of their own seems more likely under these circumstances than preventing Liverpool from scoring.
Liverpool Takes an Aggressive Stance
The visitors have a total of nine strikers, so even though Mane and Sturridge are doubtful for this match, they have enough options. The starting formation will feature three strikers, but there is plenty of talent in the midfield capable of supporting the offensive. If things go according to the plan, Liverpool will come out firing on all cylinders and overwhelm the Watford defenders in the first half.
Bookmakers credit the visitors with the first chance, but the odds on outright victory are too low to be worth considering. Punters would be better off betting on more than 2.5 goals to be scored at odds of 4/5 offered by bet365 Sports.
