Watford profited from Liverpool’s calamitous opening at Vicarage Road to continue their remarkable rise with a fourth consecutive Premier League win.
Adam Bogdan dropped a corner with the very first touch of his league debut, allowing Nathan Ake to stab the home side ahead after just three minutes.
Odion Ighalo doubled the lead, firing in off the post from a tight angle.
And the Nigerian sealed a deserved victory with his 12th of the season, nodding in from Valon Behrami’s cross.
The Hornets, promoted from the Championship last term, move to within a point of the Champions League places.
Defeat for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, who are now without a win in their last three league games, leaves them ninth – four points behind Quique Flores’ side in seventh.
With regular goalkeeper Simon Mignolet absent from the squad with a hamstring injury, 28-year-old Bogdan – who had previously only played in the League Cup since his summer arrival – was called in.
Just over two minutes into the match, he bounced Ben Watson’s corner at his own feet rather than making what looked like an easy catch. Replays suggested he might have had two hands on the ball when Ake pounced, but nonetheless it was a poor error.
Bogdan said: “I had both hands on the ball but we are talking about a split-second. It’s not easy for the referee to see. If I catch the first ball, there is no second one.
“Something went wrong, I have to think about it again. It was a mistake and I will learn from it.”
Hungarian Bogdan didn’t cover himself in glory when punching a through ball into Lucas’ face either though, and his nervousness seemed to spread through the Reds defence.
Martin Skrtel, who came off injured before half-time, was arguably too weak when trying to steer Ighalo away from goal for Watford’s second and his fellow centre-back Mamadou Sakho was dangerously ponderous in possession.
Sakho, returning after six weeks out, also fell over under no pressure to allow Ighalo in on goal in the second half, with Bogdan making partial amends via a fine reflex save.
Watford more than Deeney and Ighalo combined
Troy Deeney and Ighalo have created more goalscoring chances for one another than any other pairing this season.
They were at it again for Watford’s second as a simple Deeney ball over the top put Ighalo through with only Skrtel for company.
The 26-year-old brushed off the Liverpool defender’s weak challenge and fired in off the post from a tight angle, before adding his second with a simple header to bring his tally for 2015 to 28 goals – the best return in England’s professional leagues.
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