A wondergoal from Emre Can helped Liverpool to a 1-0 win over Watford at Vicarage Road on Monday in the Premier League.The visitors lost Philippe Coutinho to injury early on, with Adam Lallana coming on to replace the Brazilian. Lallana rattled the bar with a superb volley before Can produced his moment of magic, an overhead kick on the run, in first-half stoppage time.After the break, Liverpool continued to control the game against a blunt Watford attack. The Hornets almost snatched an underserved point in the final minute of stoppage time, though, when Sebastian Prodl fired against the bar.The win sees the Reds take a major step towards securing UEFA Champions League football for 2017-18. They're now three points clear of Manchester City, who are in fourth place, and four clear of Manchester United in fifth, having played a game more than both.Given both teams have suffered with injury problems as of late, the last thing either manager needed in the opening stages were more knocks.For Liverpool, it was the man they would have wanted to lose least, too. Coutinho was caught by Adrian Mariappa after just five minutes, and despite trying to continue, the Reds star was eventually replaced by the returning Lallana.As noted by Ian Doyle of the Liverpool Echo, the Brazil international didn't look comfortable:Watford were also forced into an early change when their centre-back Miguel Britos went down. Christian Kabasele replaced him after 19 minutes.The disruptions sapped any buzz out of the home atmosphere and the match fell into a lull as a result. The only attacking moment of note in the first 30 minutes was when Can tested Heurelho Gomes with a low strike from 30 yards.Per Jack Pitt-Brooke of The Independent, in a key game for the Reds, they were not performing well:They took control as half-time neared, though, and Lallana was inches away from a brilliant opener when his left-footed volley crashed off the underside of the bar. Can quickly went one better.Lucas Leiva lofted the ball forward to the German international on the edge of the area, and on the run, he launched himself into the air, executing a perfect overhead kick into the top corner. Sky Sports Statto captured the moment of impact:Michael Cox of Zonal Marking hailed the technique showcased by Can, as Liverpool went in 1-0 up at the break:Unsurprisingly, there was a spring in Liverpool's step when they emerged for the second half; Divock Origi was lively up top for the Reds, although he twice saw strikes saved by Gomes. Meanwhile, Watford's supporters were waiting for their team to put together any attack of note.As the match entered the final 20 minutes, there was a little more urgency about the Hornets' play. They were at least able to muster a shot on target, when Etienne Capoue saw his effort tipped over by Simon Mignolet.Liverpool still carried a threat on the break, and Lallana should have killed the game off at the end of a swift counter, but his first touch was poor. Substitute Daniel Sturridge also came close to adding a second but was denied by a smart stop from Gomes.Watford flung men forward in the final throws of the match seeking to nick a draw. And they were inches away from doing so as Prodl saw his effort in the 94th minute rattle the woodwork, much to the relief of those in red.After City, United and Arsenal all dropped points on Sunday, the Reds supporters can now surely start looking forward to Champions League football at Anfield again next season.
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