Roberto
Firmino bagged a hat-trick, while Mohamed Salah turned creator for Sadio Mane’s
100th Premier League goal before scoring another wonder goal to seal a thumping 5-0
win for Liverpool at Watford on Saturday.

Claudio Ranieri’s
return to the Premier League saw Jurgen Klopp’s men run riot at Vicarage Road
to briefly go two points clear of Chelsea at the summit of the Premier League
table.

Liverpool took initiative early in the game and opened the scoring in the ninth minute, when Salah perfectly picked out Mane’s run with an outside-of-the-boot pass for the Senegalese to notch another landmark. 

Mane is the third-highest African scorer in the history of the Premier League, behind teammate Salah (104) and Didier Drogba (104).  

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Mane then released veteran midfielder James Milner on the left flank, who picked out Roberto Firmino unmarked in the box to tap-in his second goal of the season in the 37th minute. 

The Brazilian striker scored another tap-in seven minutes after the restart. Defender Craig Cathcart slid in to prevent Andy Robertson’s cross from reaching Salah but only managed to turn it in Firmino’s path to triple Liverpool’s advantage.

Salah then scored his second goal-of-the-season contender in his second outing with the Reds, nearly recreating his mesmeric solo effort against champions Manchester City before the international brake. 

Surrounder by three Watford players after receiving the ball from Firmino inside the area, the Egyptian winger used the foot-roll and a body fake to wriggle himself out of the situation before curling his shot past Ben Foster in goal for his seventh of the season. 

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Salah has now scored in his last eight games for Liverpool. 

Liverpool continued applying pressure in the remainder of the second half, as Mane came close to scoring a second in the 71st minute, fizzing his effort just wide of the far past after being picked out by Firmino. 

Watford nearly scored a consolation minutes before full time, with Ismaila Sarr forcing Caoimhin Kelleher into a fine save to tip the ball onto the post, although the lineman’s flag was raised as Joao Pedro was offside in the build-up to the chance.  

Firmino put the icing on the cake for the Merseysiders, completing his hattrick with virtually the last kick of the game. Nico Williams waltzed into the box and swung a cross into the far post, where the Brazilian was unmarked to convert into an empty net.