Watford boss Javi Gracia knows first-hand how destructive Mohamed Salah can be – even if the Liverpool forward has scored just once in his last five games. Gracia’s side return to Anfield on Wednesday night for the first time since Salah scored four times in a 5-0 thrashing last March. Salah was substituted by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp during Sunday’s goalless stalemate at Manchester United – a draw which saw the Reds return to the top of the Premier League table. A fifth consecutive home league win over the Hornets will ensure Liverpool remain at the summit and, although Salah has scored just once in his last five games, Gracia knows his side will need to be at their best to get a result. “I don’t know how many goals he has scored in his last games but I remember in the last game we played against him he scored a lot of goals,” Gracia said of Salah. “Then we try to do our job better because we will need to keep a very good level to compete and have the option of getting some points. “I try to learn from all the games, of course. Every game is different, the seasons are different and the players have different moments, I’m sure the next games will be different. Salah’s Record vs. Watford Played: 3 Goals: 6 Assists: 2 Directly contributed to more goals against Watford than any other club (eight). “But we have analysed the last games against them, this season and last season as well and we try to do better next time. “When I play one game, I always want the three points. I never say before the game that I am happy with just one.” Watford sit seventh in the table having hammered Cardiff 5-1 on Friday night and Gracia has almost a full squad to choose from. Only full-back Kiko Femenia is missing as he continues his recovery from a hamstring problem.<doc-sep>Sadio Mane will equal his best ever goal tally in a Premier League campaign if he finds the net against Watford at Anfield on Wednesday night. The Liverpool forward scored 13 goals in his debut season with the Reds in 2016-17 and is one shy of that total with 11 games still to play this term. Mane has netted in each of his last four home league matches - if he extends that run to a fifth game in a row at Anfield it will be the eighth time the feat has been achieved in the Premier League era by a Liverpool player. The last Red to net in five or more in succession was Mohamed Salah, who is currently one goal away from scoring 50 in the Premier League in fewer games than any other player in the club's history. For more need-to-know pre-match facts and figures, courtesy of club statistician Ged Rea, read on... Liverpool and Watford are yet to play out a goalless draw in their 23 league meetings - all of which have been played in the top flight. In all competitions, the Reds have won 10 of the last 12 encounters home and away and 13 of the last 16. In the last four fixtures at Anfield the Reds have scored 15 times, with 11 coming in the last two meetings. Salah scored on his Liverpool debut against Watford at Vicarage Road in August 2017. The Egyptian forward then scored four goals in the 5-0 win at Anfield last season to become the first Reds player to net a quartet of strikes in a league game since Luis Suarez against Norwich City, and the first to score a hat-trick against the Hornets. The last Liverpool player to score a league hat-trick at Anfield against the same team in successive seasons was Robbie Fowler, who did so against Arsenal in 1994-95 and 1995-96. Salah and Roberto Firmino have each scored in the Reds' last three league games against Watford. Ian Rush holds the club record against the Hornets, finding the net in six in a row from 1984-86. Watford's last win against Liverpool came in December 2015 when Odion Ighalo netted twice to add to Nathan Ake's third-minute opener in a 3-0 victory at Vicarage Road. Since that game, Watford have taken one point from a possible 18 against Jürgen Klopp's men.<doc-sep>Mohamed Salah will set the Liverpool and Premier League record for taking the shortest time to hit 50 goals for a single team if he registers his 50th Liverpool league goal against Watford on Wednesday in what will be his 64th appearance. While a place in the record books would certainly be nice for the Egyptian star, though, the bigger concern is getting the win that would make sure the Reds stay top of the league with just 10 games left following the mid-week round of matches. “It would be nice to score number 50, number 51, and 52!” Salah says in Wednesday’s matchday programme. “I always push myself to score more goals and to perform better. Records are nice, but for me the Premier League is now the most important thing.” If Salah scores against Watford on Wednesday—or if he’s held off the scoresheet but manages a marker on Sunday against Everton—he will beat Alan Shearer’s Premier League record, with the former Newcastle man having managed 50 in 66. For Liverpool, there’s even more of a cushion—record holder Fernando Torres took 72 games to hit 50 league goals for the club. And even if his focus is on the league, the sooner Salah hits 50, one imagines, the better it will be for Liverpool’s chances. “It’s a very big week,” the 26-year-old adds. “There are three games in eight days and if we can do well in them and still be top of the table that’s big for us. After that there will only be [eight] games left and we will have time to think about that. “We want to win the Premier League because it would be something huge for the club, for the city, for the fans everywhere, but we just need to win the next game in front of us which is against Watford. We just need to be calm and play our football.”<doc-sep>Jurgen Klopp is set to make changes as Liverpool host Watford and faces an interesting task in rebuilding the attack if Roberto Firmino misses out. A huge week in the pursuit of the Premier League title continues with a must-win game against the Hornets. After a tough trip to Old Trafford and with the Goodison derby up next, Klopp is likely to make changes to keep things fresh while looking to spark an improvement in his side’s attacking play. Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Klopp issued a positive update on Firmino’s ankle injury, confirming that it is not anything serious. But the Brazilian could yet miss out on Wednesday’s game, which would give Klopp a crucial task in finding the right balance in midfield and attack to get the Reds’ firing again. So how could the boss do that and what could Liverpool’s starting XI look like? Injury Update & Likely Changes Klopp said that Firmino could yet be available against Watford, but it would be no surprise if the No.9 was left out to recover for Sunday’s Goodison Park derby. More good news is that Naby Keita should be available despite having been ill, and the Guinean is in contention to start having gone unused at Old Trafford. There is no change with the known absentees, with Dejan Lovren, Joe Gomez, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Rhian Brewster all still out. Klopp is likely to make a few adjustments throughout his team. Trent Alexander-Arnold is poised for a recall at right-back after James Milner’s surprise inclusion against Man United. There are several options at the German’s disposal should he need to fill a Firmino-shaped void in attack. Xherdan Shaqiri, Divock Origi and Daniel Sturridge will all be hoping for the nod, while Adam Lallana offers another alternative. Possible Lineups vs. The Hornets This is a must-win game for Liverpool and a more adventurous and creative lineup has to feature at Anfield. Firmino seems likely to miss out despite Klopp’s positivity on the Brazilian’s fitness, and that opens a selection headache in how to reshape the attack. Sturridge failed to take his chance deputising at Old Trafford, while Origi is seemingly viewed as a last resort currently. Therefore, the most likely and suitable reshuffle would be for Shaqiri to come in on the right, with Mohamed Salah moving centrally to play as an out-and-out striker. It is also vital that the Reds have greater creativity and supply to the front line from deeper areas. This could see Keita restored to midfield to provide it – with Jordan Henderson making way – thus re-forming what is arguably Liverpool’s strongest central unit. Meanwhile, Alexander-Arnold’s productivity from right-back was sorely missed at Old Trafford and the Scouser should be in from the start here. That would see three changes made and this attack-minded lineup deployed: Alisson; Trent, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Keita, Wijnaldum; Shaqiri, Mane, Salah Klopp could go with an even more offensive XI to take the game to the Hornets, which could be done with a switch to 4-2-3-1. Using this formation would allow for an extra attacker to increase creativity and goal-threat, which would be needed if Firmino does indeed miss out. The attacking midfield unit could be formed by Shaqiri and Sadio Mane on the flanks and Sturridge in the No.10 role supporting Salah. Deploying Sturridge here is much more suitable to his play-making qualities and would allow Salah to focus solely on finding goal-scoring opportunities. It also presents an ideal chance for Sturridge to play his way into form ahead of the run-in, in which his contributions from the bench could be crucial. A two-man midfield would therefore be in operation and Fabinho and Wijnaldum could be the pairing – especially if Keita needs a chance to recuperate ahead of the derby. Alisson; Trent, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Shaqiri, Sturridge, Mane; Salah Should Firmino miss out, as we expect, Klopp does have options to make his side a more threatening unit overall with plenty of creativity to introduce in midfield and attack. The first of the suggested lineups seems the more likely route for the German to take, and it would certainly give Liverpool the necessary firepower to claim a vital three points at Anfield.<doc-sep>
WATFORD, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 24: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool is challenged by Ben Foster of Watford during the Premier League match between Watford FC and Liverpool FC at Vicarage Road on November 24, 2018 in Watford, United Kingdom. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) Liverpool play Watford in the Premier League on Wednesday night and this is a fixture Mohamed Salah loves. The official club media outlet posted a video of the former Chelsea man’s heroics during the second half of last season, scroll down to watch Salah’s four goals in all their beautiful glory. Mo has wonderful history against the Hornets. On his league debut for the Reds, the Egyptian scored and created another goal. He followed that up by hitting the back of the net an incredible four times and grabbed an assist during the reverse fixture. In November 2018 the star was at it again as he opened the scoring for Liverpool before Trent Alexander-Arnold and Roberto Firmino completed the 3-0 win. Want your voice heard? Join the Rush The Kop team! Write for us! That makes it six goals in only three games against Watford and Salah will be quivering with excitement at the prospect of facing the Hornets again. He may have to do it without Firmino, though, who was removed from play against Manchester United because of an injury. Jurgen Klopp has said the Brazilian could miss the game – and if that happens you’d except Salah to be moved into a central role. Watford do have a few threats and their former Barcelona forward Gerard Deulofeu netted three against Cardiff City over the weekend, but his good form is just a flash in the pan and Liverpool shouldn’t overly concern themselves with the threat Deulofeu poses. And if Deulofeu is in good form, Salah has slipped a little bit but this run of fixtures represents a good time for the Egyptian to get back to scoring ways. He still leads the race for the Premier League golden boot with 17 goals, but has only hit the back of the net once in his last four outings. But as you’re about to see, the Egyptian loves taking on Watford and hopefully this game can bring Salah back to his best form.