Any other record for Mohamed Salah to chase?

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New Watford boss Claudio Ranieri makes three changes to the side for his first game in charge.

Defender Francisco Sierralta and forward Joshua King are injured, so Craig Cathcart and Cucho Hernandez come in.

Midfielder Ozan Tufan drops to the bench, with Adam Masina taking his place.

Watford XI: Foster, Rose, Ekong, Masina, Cathcart, Sissoko, Femenia, Sarr, Dennis, Hernandez, Kucka.

Subs: Bachmann, Ngakia, Louza, Cleverley, Pedro, Sema, Gosling, Fletcher, Tufan.

Image source, BBC Sport

Brazilian duo Alisson and Fabinho are missing for Liverpool, having played for Brazil in the early hours of Friday morning (UK time). Caoimhin Kelleher is in goal, with James Milner moving forward into midfield to make room for Trent Alexander-Arnold's return at right-back.

Naby Keita starts in place of Curtis Jones, with Roberto Firmino starting in attack for Diogo Jota, who drops to the bench.

Liverpool XI: Kelleher, van Dijk, Milner, Keita, Firmino, Mane, Salah, Henderson, Robertson, Matip, Alexander-Arnold.

Subs: Adrian, Konate, Gomez, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jota, Minamino, Tsimikas, Origi, Williams.

Image source, BBC Sport

Jonathan Woodgate
Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

Raheem Sterling could go to Real Madrid or Barcelona and play in their team. He is a top player. It doesn’t seem like Pep Guardiola is that bothered. It will be interesting to see if he starts in the next two games - if he doesn’t, he isn’t going to be happy.

Claudio Ranieri is back and he's got a tough game to kick-off his Watford spell.

Liverpool remain the only side unbeaten so far this season in the Premier League and sit a point below leaders Chelsea.

But the last meeting between the two teams saw Watford end Liverpool's club record 44-game unbeaten run in February 2020 with a shock 3-0 victory.

Can the hosts do it again?

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Kristoffer Ajer and Vitaly Janelt are back in contention for Brentford after missing the win at West Ham with minor muscle issues.

However, Shandon Baptiste faces a spell on the sidelines after dislocating his shoulder against the Hammers.

Romelu Lukaku is fit for Chelsea despite missing Belgium's last match with muscle fatigue.

Reece James and N'Golo Kante are likely to be available following respective ankle and Covid-19 lay-offs.

Antonio Rudiger is ruled out after missing Germany's win against North Macedonia because of a back issue.

Hakim Ziyech is doubtful after sitting out several training sessions with a headache, while this game comes too soon for Christian Pulisic, who is still nursing an ankle problem.

Thiago Silva began Brazil's World Cup qualifier versus Uruguay, which finished in the early hours of Friday morning, and the 37-year-old will not be risked at the Brentford Community Stadium.

Former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot talking to BBC Radio 5 Live: "One of the key things I learnt from Claudio Ranieri was you have to help your mate out. You have to do more than one job.

It is a responsibility thing that he will bring in."

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at Vicarage Road

Liverpool will go top of the Premier League - at least for a couple of hours - if they win today. But pre-match, it is all about the return of Claudio Ranieri to English football.

I was lucky enough to interview Ranieri on Wednesday and he was excellent. He clearly still loves the game - and is in very good nick for someone who is 70 next week.

He has not shied away from Watford's managerial rotation - we are now onto the 14th boss of the Pozzo ownership, which is not even a decade old - in his programme notes for today's game.

"I have been asked about the club changing its coach a lot. To me, it is normal," he said.

"If you do a good job you can be with one project a long time. But if you do not, you will not be there.

"I got sacked by Chelsea after finishing second behind Arsenal Invincibles and getting to a Champions League semi-final. This is football. So what."

Leicester defender Jonny Evans, who has been battling a foot injury and recent illness, is under consideration for his first league start since April.

Jannik Vestergaard has an unspecified fitness issue and will be assessed.

Marcus Rashford will be involved for Manchester United after recovering from shoulder surgery, while Harry Maguire could return from a calf problem.

Fred and Edinson Cavani might miss out, having played in World Cup qualifiers in the early hours of Friday morning.

Raphael Varane had already been ruled out because of a groin injury.

Mark Lawrenson
BBC football expert

Welcome back to the Premier League, Claudio Ranieri! The former Leicester boss had a few days to settle in at Watford but this is a big game for him to kick off with.

This game is mainly going to be about whether Liverpool can break Watford down, anyhow. I think Ranieri will try to make them very difficult to beat, rather than thinking too much about how to start with a win.

Ranieri has promised to take the Watford players out for dinner if they keep a clean sheet, rather than just buying them a pizza like he once said he'd do with Leicester, but I think he will get to keep his wallet in his pocket at the weekend.

Prediction: 0-2

Lawro's full predictions v Shepherd star Tom Hughes

Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey has failed to recover in time from a thigh injury and Bertrand Traore and Carney Chukwuemeka are both fitness doubts.

Morgan Sanson and Keinan Davis are back in contention, while Emi Martinez and Douglas Luiz will be involved despite their late return from South America.

Wolves winger Francisco Trincao will miss the game after testing positive for Covid-19.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at Vicarage Road

It's a pretty grey day in Watford.

The cafes along the walk down to Vicarage Road were all packed, with the windows steamed up from the number of people inside. Outside there were only a few hardy soles briskly making their way to the stadium.

We are still in October aren't we?

Image source, BBC Sport

12:30 BST

Watford v Liverpool

15:00 BST

Aston Villa v Wolves

Leicester City v Manchester United

Manchester City v Burnley

Norwich v Brighton

Southampton v Leeds

17:30 BST

Brentford v Chelsea

The Premier League is back. Claudio Ranieri is back. And we have seven games of football to enjoy.

Happy Saturday!

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