Watford vs Liverpool Match Predictions & Match Preview 12/08/2017

The Match Is Over. Score: 3-3

Watford were fortunate they stayed up in the top-flight under Marco Silva, closing the gap on the drop zone with just six points adrift of danger, while forth-finishing Liverpool will face a challenging season having spent little compared to how much the other top giants splashed out on their new signings - but Klopp is confident of his team making huge impact on the title race this term.

Match status: 2017/18 FA Premier League - Matchweek 1
Kick-off: Saturday 12 Aug 2017, 12:30pm GMT
Venue: "Vicarage Road" in Watford, Hertfordshire, England

Last season's Liverpool run of form against sides from the top six was simply phenomenal when they took a total of 20 points from the matches with Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal - the finest to outscore all of those - but struggled to get steady results against sides competing outside top half of the table.

Reds manager Jurgen Klopp has been able to have landed three new signings: Dominic Solanke, joined from Chelsea, Roma's winger Mohamed Salah for ?34.3m and Andy Robertson from Hull in a ?10m deal. While it can be considered a good work on the transfer market so far, the Merseyside club hava kept all of the key players in the ranks; however, there are doubts over the future of joint top goalscorer of last season Philippe Coutinho, as he is wanted by Barcelona following Neymar's departure.

Appointed as head coach late in May 2017, Walter Mazzarri's successor Marco Silva will look to avoid relegation after the team under the Italian manager escaped being dropped down having finished 6 points clear of danger, following a one-season spell in the Premier League after they won promotion in 2014–15.

Teams' Possible Starting Lineups:

Watford: Heurelho Gomes - Jose Holebas, Miguel Britos, Sebastian Prodl, Daryl Janmaat - Will Hughes, Nathaniel Chalobah - Tom Cleverley, Etienne Capoue, Nordin Amrabat - Andre Gray (4-2-3-1 formation)

Liverpool: Simon Mignolet - Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dejan Lovren, Joel Matip, Alberto Moreno - Emre Can, Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum - Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah (4-3-3 formation)

Watford & Liverpool's Missing Players:

Watford: Mauro Zarate. Questionable: Christian Kabasele, Troy Deeney, Craig Cathcart, Tommie Hoban.

Liverpool: Adam Lallana, Danny Ings . Questionable: Jordan Henderson, Philippe Coutinho, Daniel Sturridge, Nathaniel Clyne.

Watford - Liverpool Head-to-Head:

2016/17 Premier League
Watford 0-1 Liverpool

2016/17 Premier League
Liverpool 6-1 Watford

2015/16 Premier League
Liverpool 2-0 Watford

2015/16 Premier League
Watford 3-0 Liverpool

It has to be said that the Hornets have little strengthened in the ongoing summer transfer window, with promising Will Hughes joining the club following a six-year spell at Derby County, Alaves defender Kiko Femenia, Nathaniel Chalobah, Everton midfielder Tom Cleverley all set to get game-time at the club, and at the latest Watford have announced the acquisitions of two strikers Richarlison and Andre Gray coming from Fluminense and Burnley respectively.

I don't think it will help them any better shortly ahead of the opening Liverpool game. After all, strikers usually need some time to settle in, which might play into Reds' hands to deliver a first clean sheet right out the blocks. So, despite Coutinho missing this game to injury, Roberto Firmino in a link with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane down the wings can make no less difference as with the Brazil international.