Liverpool news: Xherdan Shaqiri fires Premier League title race warning to Man City

We can expect both sides to slowly drift away from the other 18 teams in the division.

Liverpool are still yet to click into first gear yet they had enough to get past a spirited Watford side at Vicarage Road.

Pep Guardiola must feel slightly frustrated that Manchester City have started like a train yet the Reds still remain hot on their tail.

Tottenham brushed aside Chelsea at Wembley but Jurgen Klopp’s side are serious challengers and will push the champions all the way.

“We’re going to be there until the end,” said Swiss midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri.

“We don’t have to look to Man City, we just have to look to ourselves. Every game has its own history and we have to look game to game, not look at where we might be at the end of the season.”

Let’s deal with the Watford injustice first.

Andy Robertson clipped Will Hughes’ leg with the score 0-0. If Watford had scored at that point it would have been a different game.

Why referee Jon Moss chose not to give a penalty is a mystery. VAR cannot come into the Premier League soon enough.

But Watford manager Javi Gracia says he will never criticise referees this season.

Gracia said: “In the last two games we have been unlucky with some decisions.

“I always prefer to support the referee and I think if I don’t say anything about their work in these two games, I will not do so for the rest of the season.

“If we keep the same attitude and same way of work, I don’t have doubt we are able to win quickly.”

But let us admire the authority Liverpool played with at the back. In this fixture last season they conceded three times, with the last goal – in the final minute – denying them the victory.

They went on to blow it against a string of other opponents they should have beat en. So this was a significant result.

“When you win games like this, you feel we’re going to fight to the end for a lot of things,” said Shaqiri.

“So I think we just have to keep going, keep working hard and keep winning.”

Liverpool are now undefeated in 13. Their 33 points is more than they have ever had at this point of a Premier League season.

More importantly, the paltry fi ve goals they have let in is a defensive club record for this stage of a top-flight campaign.

“It’s nice to see that and have this record for the club, it gives you more confidence in the next games ,” said Shaqiri.

Jordan Henderson’s 82nd-minute dismissal for a second bookable offence was the one blemish on a fine afternoon for Liverpool.

But Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Roberto Firmino found the net after an hour or so of resistance from the well-organised Hornets.