Football news - Five-star Liverpool lay down title marker

Liverpool rediscovered their swagger and stayed top of the Premier League with a thrilling 5-0 win over Watford that was powered by two goals apiece from Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk on Wednesday.

The Reds, who had drawn three out of their last four games to allow champions City back into the title race, opened up a two-goal lead courtesy of a Sadio Mane double - his second, a cheeky backheel, drew gasps from the home faithful.

With any Anfield nerves settled, Jurgen Klopp’s men settled to dominate the first half but were unable to add to their advantage before the break.

However, the impressive Divock Origi added a third early in the second half to put the result beyond any doubt before a brace from centre-half Virgil van Dijk put added gloss on an already polished performance. Van Dijk's first goal also handed Trent Alexander-Arnold a third assist of the night.

Pep Guardiola’s City beat West Ham 1-0 to move on to 68 points, one shy of Liverpool’s haul of 69.

Liverpool get back on track. The Reds have been generally unimpressive in 2019 and before this match had won only three of their nine games played in the calendar year, scoring more than one goal only twice. Against Watford though they were excellent and created chances from the outset, tearing the opposition apart. This is a game Liverpool were expected to win but the emphatic manner in which they did shows they mean business.

Sadio Mane (Liverpool). Playing centre-forward in the absence of Roberto Firmino, the Senegalese star was excellent. His movement for the first goal made it look like he’d be playing the position all season, while the finish for the second was sensational and he showed impressive composure after a terrible first touch. He was a handful all evening and benefited from great service.

9’ - GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Watford. Alexander-Arnold crosses from the right and Mane finds space between the two centre-halves to head home. Great centre-forward play from Mane.

20’ - GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Watford. It's brilliant from Mane! Salah goes on a mazy run and just as Watford think the danger is over, having half-cleared, Alexander-Arnold picks out Mane - who is in plenty of space - with another smart cross. A poor first touch takes Mane away from goal but he brilliantly backheels the ball over Foster's outstretched arm and into the net.

37’ - OFF THE POST! Salah cuts in from the right and Cathcart has no answer but Foster does, deflecting the Egyptian's shot onto the post, and Foster is then off his line in a flash seconds later to deny Milner.

68’ - GOAL! Liverpool 3-0 Watford. Origi cuts in from the left. Several Watford defenders are there but none get tight enough and he has space to fire a shot past Foster at the near post.

79’ - GOAL! Liverpool 4-0 Watford. The Hornets are made to pay as Alexander-Arnold curls the free-kick onto the head of Van Dijk, who can hardly miss.

82’ - GOAL! Liverpool 5-0 Watford. Van Dijk has another! This time it's Robertson with the cross and Van Dijk again applies the finishing touch.

Liverpool: Alisson 6, Alexander-Arnold 9, Van Dijk 8, Matip 7, Robertson 8, Fabinho 7, Wijnaldum 6, Milner 6, Mane 9, Salah 7, Origi 7. Subs: Keita 6, Henderson 6, Lallana 7.

Watford: Foster 7, Janmaat 6, Cathcart 5, Mariappa 5, Masina 3, Hughes 5, Doucoure 6, Capoue 5, Pereyra 4, Delofeu 5, Deeney 4. Subs: Cleverley 5, Sema 5, Gray 6.