Watford vs Liverpool kicked off Matchweek 8 in the Premier League, the first round of fixtures following the October international break. This clash was also the first game for Claudio Ranieri since the former Leicester boss was announced as the new Hornets boss, replacing the sacked Xisco Muñoz.
Unfortunately, the Italian tactician did not enjoy his debut game. It did not take too long for Klopp's men to impose themselves over the home side, with the visitors going 1-0 up after only nine minutes thanks to Sadio Mane. Just after the half-an-hour mark, the Reds were 2-0 up, with Roberto Firmino doubling their lead.
Things only got worse for Watford in the second half, with the newly-promoted side conceding an additional three goals in the final 45 minutes of the game. That 5-0 defeat unfortunately saw Ranieri set an unwanted Premier League record.
This game saw the Tinkerman suffer his biggest ever Premier League defeat, However, it did not stop there, as this 5-0 loss saw him equal Alan Smith's record for the highest-margin defeat from a manager who oversaw his debut game at home.
5 - Claudio Ranieri suffered his biggest ever Premier League defeat, while no manager whose first game with a club in the competition came at home has suffered a bigger margin of defeat (also Alan Smith with Crystal Palace v Liverpool in August 1994, 1-6). Frosty. pic.twitter.com/0MnPVBcT6q
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 16, 2021
On the flip side, Roberto Firmino enjoyed a stunning 90 minutes of football. The Selecao ace played a part in all but one of the goals, scoring three and assisting another.
That feat saw him enter the history books, becoming the first Brazilian player to score two Premier League hat-tricks – his first three-goal haul in the English top-flight came against Arsenal a few seasons back.
This result saw Liverpool move top of the table, albeit only momentarily, as Chelsea could reclaim the no.1 spot if they beat Brentford later today. Watford, on the other hand, are in 16th and could drop within a point of the relegation zone depending on the other results.