Reds labour to 2-0 victory

FT: Liverpool 2 Watford 0

Liverpool were made to work hard for their fourth successive Premier League victory.

Watford showed great spirit and resilience to be on equal terms at the break, but Craig Bellamy clipped home his fourth goal in five games a couple of minutes into the second period.

But it took Liverpool until the 88th minute when Xabi Alonso scored with a stunning 25-yard shot, to settle the points and their seventh successive league clean sheet.

Jamie Carragher, who scored his first league goal since 1999 last weekend, almost added another on 74 minutes when he peeled off at the back post onto a Gerrard corner, to hit a fierce volley that Foster somehow managed to palm over the bar.

On 81 minutes Bellamy was replaced by Peter Crouch, while Watford sent on Damien Francis for Bangura.

Crouch hit the post from a Luis Garcia pass on 85 minutes, but still Liverpool could not settle things.

However with two minutes left that elusive goal arrived. Kuyt raced down the left and with his second attempt, slipped the ball back for Alonso to fire in a spectacular 25-yard shot into the top corner.

Fabio Aurelio came on for Kuyt with a minute left.