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Ismaila Sarr of Watford breaks past Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool to score his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Watford FC and Liverpool FC at Vicarage Road in Watford, UK, February 29, 2020. /VCG
Liverpool's unbeaten season in the Premier League ended in a spectacular fashion as Ismaila Sarr's double moved Watford out of the relegation zone with a 3-0 win at Vicarage Road.
The comprehensive scoreline helped the Hornets edge past Bournemouth, who held Chelsea to a 2-2 draw, while West Ham also boosted their chances of survival with a 3-1 win over Southampton on Saturday.
Liverpool remain 22 points clear and well on course for a first league title in 30 years.
But their hopes of doing so by matching Arsenal's invincible season in 2003/04 ended with an inspired display by Watford.
"You have to accept it, it's not so easy, but it's the proof we were not good enough tonight," said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp after his team's 44-game run without defeat in the league came to a crashing end.
Sarr struck twice in six minutes early in the second half before the 22-year-old Senegalese turned provider for Troy Deeney to wrap up a famous win.
"Ismaila Sarr is an unbelievable player, unbelievable talent. He still has a lot to learn, and will continue to learn, but I think it's a full team performance," said a proud Watford captain Deeney.
Bayern punish offensive fans
Bayern Munich Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge vowed to "take all-out action" against the fans who unfurled a banner insulting Hoffenheim benefactor Dietmar Hopp during the Bundesliga leaders' 6-0 victory on Saturday.
The game in Hoffenheim finished in bizarre circumstances with both teams passing the ball between each other after a lengthy delay over an offensive banner in the section housing travelling Bayern supporters.
Players from both sides stood on the field but refused to play for the final 10 minutes as the clock wound down.
Bayern munich's chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Hoffenheim's chief backer Dietmar Hopp come together with players to applaud the home fans after demonstrations after the Bundesliga match at PreZero-Arena in Sinsheim, Germany, February 29, 2020. /VCG
Rummenigge said he was "deeply ashamed of these chaotic people" who have "discredited the name of FC Bayern."
The entire Bayern team – along with coach Hansi Flick and Rummenigge – approached the ultras block and pleaded with fans to remove the banner.
"Today, at the absolute latest, the moment has come when the entire Bundesliga needs to take action against these chaotic people.
"We must all stand together. We have closed our eyes for far too long. This is the ugly face of football."
German Football Association boss Christian Seifert indicated after the match that no action would be taken against either side.
In a statement, Seifert said both sides "acted in an exemplary manner in this situation, thereby sending a clear signal to some self-appointed rules of football culture not to tolerate such conduct any longer."
The fans refused to withdraw the banner, prompting a surreal conclusion to a match in which Bayern overcame the absence of injured striker Robert Lewandowski.
With five names on the scoresheet, first impressions suggest that Bayern will have few problems replacing Lewandowski's 25 goals during his expected month-long absence.
Joshua Zirkzee (C) of FC Bayern Munich in action during the Bundesliga match against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim at PreZero-Arena in Sinsheim, Germany, February 29, 2020. /VCG
Bayern burst out of the blocks, with Serge Gnabry scoring the visitors' first after just two minutes when he connected with a floating ball from Thomas Mueller.
Joshua Kimmich made it 2-0 just five minutes later, side-footing a loose ball in the box past Oli Baumann. From there on, it was one-way traffic for the 28-time Bundesliga champions.
Dutch teenager Joshua Zirkzee scored his third goal in the top flight, chipping in a ball from Kimmich in the 16th minute, before Philippe Coutinho made it 4-0 in the 33rd minute with a trademark curling strike into the top corner.
The Barcelona loanee scored his second and Munich's fifth just two minutes after the break, toe-poking in a superb assist from Mueller, giving the latter his second of the match and his 17th assist of the season.
Leon Goretzka was the next to get on the scoresheet, profiting from an excellent team movement. Coutinho and Corentin Tolisso combined perfectly in the box before Goretzka lifted the ball over Baumann to rack up Bayern's sixth.
(CGTN)
