#EPL: Watford snatch late point as Liverpool prepare for title push

Premier League strugglers Watford rescued a dramatic 1-1 draw against Leicester thanks to Craig Dawson’s last-gasp overhead kick at the start of a weekend which could see Liverpool move within one win of the title.

In the first full weekend of English top-flight matches since the coronavirus shutdown in March, Watford’s hopes of avoiding relegation looked set to be dented by Ben Chilwell’s superb 90th minute strike.

But in a remarkable conclusion, Hornets centre-back Dawson launched himself into an acrobatic effort moments later to claim his first goal for the club.

“It’s something you practise in training and it probably doesn’t go in very often. I’m delighted with my first goal. It was obviously a very important goal and it was good to get a point in the end,” Dawson told BT Sport.

Watford climbed to 16th place, one point above the relegation zone, but they could be passed by West Ham, Bournemouth and Aston Villa depending on their results this weekend.

Leicester remain third, six points ahead of fourth-placed Chelsea, as they look to secure a spot in next season’s Champions League.

With all games being played behind closed doors due to the health crisis, there was the now familiar sight of empty seats being covered over at an eerily quiet Vicarage Road.

Following the trend from the first four matches of the restart this week, a minute’s silence was observed for victims of coronavirus and both teams took a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter cause before kick-off.

On Sunday, Liverpool will play for the first time since the top-flight hiatus when the title chasers make the short trip to Merseyside rivals Everton.

Jurgen Klopp’s side, 22 points clear of second-placed Manchester City, need two wins from their remaining nine games to end their 30-year wait to be crowned English champions.

If the Reds beat Everton, they can wrap up the title with another victory against Crystal Palace at Anfield on Wednesday.

Klopp’s men have not been in action for 106 days and the Liverpool boss is relieved to return after talk the season might be declared null and void, which would have deprived his team of the title their superb season deserves.

Liverpool had been on course to become the first English champions to be crowned in March after recording 27 wins from 29 matches.

However, Liverpool’s inevitable title will now come with an asterisk according to some pundits, who claim the Premier League’s new normal of matches behind closed doors with more substitutes allowed has taken the shine off the leaders’ achievements.


AFP