Liverpool top Watford 1-0 in EPL

A spectacular goal by Emre Can powered Liverpool to a 1-0 victory over Watford at the Vicarage Road stadium here as they tightened their grip on third place in the English Premier League (EPL) football championship.

The away triumph on Monday eased the sting of Liverpool's recent loss to Crystal Palace at Anfield and left them three points ahead of fourth-place Manchester City, though the Citizens have a game in hand, reports Efe.

What turned out to be the only goal of the match came in first-half stoppage time. Lucas Leiva delivered a cross into the area and Can scored with a perfectly executed bicycle kick that seems likely to become a candidate for goal of the year.

Watford mounted periods of sustained pressure in the second half and Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet needed to be sharp to preserve the lead.

The hosts nearly pulled level in second-half stoppage time, but Sebastian Prodl's shot bounced off the crossbar.

With the win, Liverpool moved to 69 points from 35 games as they hold the third spot of the EPL and the Champions League berth that goes with it. With 40 points from 34 matches, Watford are eight points clear of the drop zone.

Talking about the winning goal, Can said that it was the best goal he has scored in his career.

"I didn't think too much, to be honest. The ball came, a great ball from Lucas, and I just did it and I was happy the ball went in! I couldn't do anything else there, because the ball was a little bit behind and I couldn't head it," he was quoted as saying by Liverpool's website.

"I didn't think too much and then I scored and I think I will never score (a goal like that) again! It was a special goal but I'm very happy that we got the three points, it was the most important (thing)," he added.

"It was the best goal I've ever scored. It was an unbelievable goal!"

--IANS

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