London: Liverpool's unbeaten run in this season's English Premier League (EPL) has come to an end in unfathomable fashion on Saturday as 17th ranked Watford defeated league topper 3-0 at Vicarage Road stadium.
Ismaila Sarr found the net twice in a span of six minutes in the second half to earn an upset victory for Watford. He also set up captain Troy Deeney with a third for the team who had started the day one from the bottom, 55 points behind Liverpool.
The Reds' first league defeat of the season meant the end of their hopes of finishing the season as unbeaten. Liverpool earned the moniker 'Invincibles' for playing 44 matches without a defeat.
The defeat came at a time when they were expected to surpass defending champions Manchester City by creating a new English top-flight record of 19 successive league victories.
However, the defeat is unlikely to stop Juergen Klopp's men from lifting their first EPL title in 30 years as they still remain 22 points ahead of their nearest rivals, Manchester City, who collected 57 points from 27 matches.
Liverpool had previously dropped only two points in the league this season -- their draw at Manchester United in October -- but on Saturday from the start, Watford attacked them with unexpected vigour.
In the first half itself, Watford were expected to break the deadlock with Gerard Deulofeu proving Liverpool's main tormentor before he was taken off by stretcher with a knee injury.