Live Updates
  • Miguel Britos scores last minute equaliser to rescue a point at Vicarage Road.
  • Liverpool came from behind to take the lead through debut goal from Mohamed Salah.
  • Roberto Firmino equalised from the penalty spot after Jurgen Klopp's side trailed 2-1 at half time after goals from Stefano Okaka and Abdoulaye Doucouré.

13 goals in the first two games of the season. This could be a fun weekend.

Liverpool's new front three is going to menace Premier League defences but their rotten defence continues to hinder them.

This is the moment that cost them three points right at the death today.

Miguel Britos
Getty

Full-time: Watford 3-3 Liverpool.

Liverpool undone by a set piece again! It's probably the ugliest goal you'll see all weekend but Watford won't mind. Holebas pings a low corner into the near post that Wijnaldum makes an absolute mess of as he tries to stoop down to meet it but instead knocks into Nordin Amrabat. He shoots for the near post, bouncing it the cross bar, off Mignolet's arm and then off the head of Britos! Vicarage Road errupts, Klopp slumps in his seat.

Goal! Watford 3-3 Liverpool (Miguel Britos 90+4)

Watford have a free kick that Holebas flings into the box, hoping to cause havoc. Mignolet stands up to it and punches clear, following that up with a smart stop to deny Britos.

Five minutes of time added on.

Mane threatens to burst past a weary Watford defence but Holebas just about manages to scamper across and knock the ball out of his path. Silva's side are running out of steam here.

Salah's work for the day is done; James Milner comes onto replace him as Liverpool look to see this one out.

15 minutes remaining at Vicarage Road, Salah cuts in again having flown past Holebas but drives his effort towards the near post, hitting the side netting.

Suddenly Liverpool are the backfoot again with Gray racing towards goal only for Matip to make a crucial interception. Moments later, Salah clips the former Burnley forward out on the left flank. Free kick for Watford and another chance to test that brittle defence.

Close from Moreno! The Spaniard hits across the ball to send a dipping half volley towards the top corner but Gomes reacts well to palm it away.

Marco Silva responds by throwing on new signing Andre Gray; he enters the fray to replace Okaka, who has had a quiet second half.

What a turnaround here. Watford have been dreadful in this second half and are struggling to string together a meaningful pass in the Liverpool half. Mane, Firmino and Salah are have terrified them.

It's Watford's turn to fall apart at the back now. Firmino creeps in behind three defenders who don't seem bothered he has scampered past them and lofts the ball over the onrushing Gomes. He's going for goal with that effort, but it won't reach it. Luckily, Salah follows it up and knocks it over the line.

Goal! Watford 2-3 Liverpool (Mohamed Salah, 56)

Firmino steps up and sweeps it into the bottom corner, sending Gomes the wrong way. We're level again.

Goal! Watford 2-2 Liverpool (Roberto Firmino, 54)

Salah races onto a clever ball around the corner from Can and gets to it before Gomes who has raced out of goal to try and claim. He cleans out the Egyptian and it is a clear penalty.

PENALTY - Liverpool

Salah takes on Jose Holebas again coming in for the right, twisting inside before looking to curl one towards the far corner. He can't quite get enough bend on his effort however and it sails wide.

And we are back underway at Vicarage Road. Can Liverpool turn this around?

Half-time: Watford 2-1 Liverpool

Oh Salah. The Egypt international should do better as he races into the box but toes the ball well over the ball from close range, under pressure from Holebas.

Five minutes of the first half remaining.

Mane crashes down Doucoure's ankle after a mistimed lunge and the Liverpool forward is shown a yellow card.

Oh Liverpool. Moments after that splendid equaliser, they fall to pieces at the back again. Trent Alexander-Arnold is at fault as he slips while trying to clear, allowing Cleverley to cut inside down right and send the ball across goal. Lovren and Mignolet both go for it but Doucoure is there first and slots home from close range.

Goal! Watford 2-1 Liverpool (Abdoulaye Doucoure, 31)

Wonderful equaliser from Liverpool! Mane sparks the move, twisting past his marker before sliding it out to the onrushing Moreno. Mane continues his run as Moreno feeds Firmino who brilliantly flicks it back into the path of the former Southampton star. His first touch is superb, opening up his body to curl a precise effort into the far corner. Liverpool woeful at the back, but that was

Goal! Watford 1-1 Liverpool (Sadio Mane, 28)

Okaka is ruled offside as a ball is whipped across to him but Joel Matip looked to have no idea he was anywhere near him. Same old problems for Liverpool at the minute.

Okaka
Getty

He's a big lad, isn't he? Stefano Okaka is terrorising Liverpool at the moment, not just with his strength, but with speed and some skill too.

OKaka is bullying Lovren at the moment, easily shrugging the Croatian out of the way as he tries to bundle his way upfield. Jordan Henderson reads the danger however and nips in ahead of the Watford striker to steal possession back.

Janmaat picked up a knock a few moments ago and Marco Silva has opted to take him off with Kiko Femenia coming on for his debut. The Dutchman is furious however and heads straight down the tunnel.

Watford suddenly look all over the place at the back as Can lofts a hopeful ball in the box that momentarily frees Mane, but the former Southampton forward is offside.

Janmaat is down the at minute to receive some treatment, giving a cluster of Liverpool players the opportunity the chance to trot over to their manager to receive some instruction from their managers. "Stop being so bad at defending" may have been the message.

Good to see all that set piece training at Liverpool over the summer has paid off. From the subsequent Watford corner, Okaka is given acres of room to wander in towards the near post and power home a firm header unchallenged. It's woeful defending from Liverpool; from their first corner this season they have conceded.

Goal! Watford 1-0 Liverpool (Stefano Okaka, 8)

Mignolet denies Watford! Brilliant from Okaka, who superbly controls the ball on his chest before surging past Can, who is no small man himself. He follows that up with a wonderful through ball for Pereyra who twists and turns inside Moreno and and Lovren before aiming for goal, only to see his effort pushed wide by the Liverpool goalkeeper.

Mane and Firmino try to pass their way through the Watford backline but Prodl steps into cut the ball out. Watford are set up to contain the away side at the moment.

Mignolet takes a little too long to clear the ball from his own box for the liking of Stefan Okaka, who steams into the Belgian after booting the ball clear from goal. Purely accidental, mind.

And Watford get us underway at Vicarage Road.

Alberto Moreno is back in the starting XI this afternoon. Has he won Jurgen Klopp over? The Spaniard was absolutely dreadful prior to being dropped last season but an impressive pre-season campaign might just have given him a second chance at the club.

Mohamed Salah
Getty

There is a (second) Premier League debut for this man today. Can he help Liverpool fans forget about Philippe Coutinho for a couple of hours?

We'll see Liverpool's new attacking trident in action in the Premier League for the first time with Roberto Firmino leading the line flanked by record signing Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

Nathaniel Clyne misses out through injury with Trent Alexander-Arnold stepping in while Alberto Moreno is given the nod at left-back ahead of James Milner. Dominic Solanke is given a spot on the bench.

So despite Marco Silva suggesting he could feature this afternoon, Troy Deeney doesn't make the Watford squad following his recent groin surgery. Andre Gray and Brazilian forward Richarlison both start on the bench with Stefan Okaka given the nod to lead the line, supported by Roberto Pereyra.

Given all the changes at the club, it's a rather familiar looking line up for the Hornets this afternoon with former Chelsea midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah the only debutant this afternoon.

No sign of Will Hughes in the squad either.

Watford team to face Liverpool: Gomes (GK) (c); Janmaat, Kaboul, Britos, Holebas; Chalobah, Doucouré; Amrabat, Cleverley, Pereyra; Okaka

Subs: Pantilimon (GK), Prödl, Femenía, Watson, Capoue, Richarlison, Gray

Liverpool team to face Watford: Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Matip, Moreno, Henderson, Can, Wijnaldum, Salah, Mane, Firmino

Subs: Karius, Klavan, Gomez, Milner, Grujic, Solanke, Origi

BREAKING: Both Andre Gray and Richarlison start on the bench for Watford with Troy Deeney left out completely. There is a league debut however Nathaniel Chalobah.

BREAKING: Nathaniel Clyne misses out with Trent Alexander-Arnold starting ahead of him. Mohamed Salah makes his Premier League debut.

Philippe Coutinho will have no part to play today due to a back injury but he is the centre of attention as far as Liverpool are concerned at the moment. At around 10am Friday morning, club owners FSG issued a statement insisting no bids would be considered for the Brazil international following two offers from Barcelona.

Fast forward three hours and it emerged the former Inter Milan schemer had handed in a transfer request. By email. Noise coming out of Liverpool suggests Coutinho's move changes nothing as far as they are concerned and remain insistent the player is going nowhere.

With 20 days of the transfer window remaining, there could be a few more twists and turns left in this saga yet.

Philippe Coutinho and Jurgen Klopp
Klopp is focused on matters on the pitch and has "nothing" to say about Coutinho. Getty Images

Jurgen Klopp's injury update ahead of kick-off:

"Adam Lallana had this unlucky injury, Daniel [Sturridge] had a fantastic pre-season , he was close for this weekend but I'm pretty sure he'll be ready for Tuesday [against Hoffenheim].

"[Nathaniel] Clyne had a problem from the first day [of pre-season], and now Phil [Coutinho] with the back problems. Four players, not too good but I still have to make hard decisions because some players really showed up during pre-season.

Marco Silva's injury update ahead of kick-off:

"He [Deeney] is progressing well. He's not 100% training with the team but yesterday he did part of the session with us. I believe in the next few days he will start full training with us. He will be then ready to help the team."

Mauro Zarate (knee), Christian Kabasele (hamstring) and Brice Dja Djedje (unknown) will all miss the visit of Liverpool, while centre-back Craig Cathcart is not yet ready to feature as he makes his way back from a knee problem sustained towards the end of last season.

"[Craig] Cathcart has only worked with us for one week during pre-season. We've had a lot of problems with our centre-backs but in the last two or three weeks we have them nearly all fit. Cathcart should join us soon."

Troy Deeney
Getty Images

Team news: Watford

Troy Deeney may be a doubt this afternoon after his recent surgery but Marco Silva hasn't completely ruled out the club captain featuring today. The striker underwent surgery on a groin injury last month and has played a bit-part role in training this week.

Team news: Liverpool

Adam Lallana is facing up to three months on the sidelines and Jurgen Klopp could also be without first-choice right-back Nathaniel Clyne after revealing the England international was struggling with a knock.

Team news: Liverpool

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is fit to make his first Premier League appearance since February as Jurgen Klopp's side get their Premier League campaign underway against Watford.

Philippe Coutinho's future at the club hangs in the balance after he handed in a transfer request on Friday just hours after the club's owners Fenway Sports Group issued a statement insisting he would not be sold under any circumstances. Perhaps for the better, the Brazil international was not scheduled to be involved today anyway due to a back injury.

Danny Ings meanwhile is fit after his own injury hell but he won't feature today after turning out for Liverpool's Under-23 side on Friday night.

Jordan Henderson
Reuters

It takes a pretty big transfer saga to overshadow your first game of the season. Philippe Coutinho isn't even playing today due to a back injury but the 25-year-old's decision to hand in a transfer request on Friday has positively rocked Liverpool's final preparations for the new Premier League campaign.

He isn't the only Brazilian people will be talking about today. 20-year-old Richarlison, tracked by both Chelsea and Manchester United during the summer, is in line to make his debut for Watford this afternoon.

Arsenal and Leicester City provided a spectacular opening to the new campaign last night. Let's hope the trend continues. Team news coming up.