The biggest talking points in football this weekend

Liverpool lost for the first time this season, the bottom three all won and the race for the Champions League places took yet more twists and turns. Manchester City also became only the second team in history to win three successive League Cup trophies.

The biggest shock of the weekend came at Vicarage Road, where Watford became the first team to beat Liverpool in the Premier League this season with a 3-0 victory. Ismaila Sarr scored a brace, while captain Troy Deeney added a third to inflict the first league defeat on the Reds since January 2019 and move the Hornets out of the relegation zone.

And it means...

... the Reds could only match Manchester City’s top-flight winning run of 18 matches. Jurgen Klopp's side fell five matches short of Arsenal’s 49-game record that stretched beyond their Invincibles season of 2003/04.

The champions-elect had not lost in the Premier League since a defeat to Manchester City more than 12 months ago, but Watford were more than worthy of their 3-0 victory on an off day for Klopp’s side.

Manchester City won the Carabao Cup for the third successive year following a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa at Wembley. Sergio Aguero and Rodri scored for City, while Mbwana Samatta netted what turned out to be a consolation for Villa. Only Sir Alex Ferguson, Brian Clough and Jose Mourinho have now won the competition more than Pep Guardiola.

Wolverhampton Wanderers twice came from behind to win an exciting encounter at Tottenham Hotspur 3-2. Steven Bergwijn and then Serge Aurier put Spurs ahead, but Raul Jimenez scored a late winner to move Wolves above Tottenham into sixth, after equalising goals from Matt Doherty and Diogo Jota.

Tottenham have now lost three matches in a row in all competitions, which has only happened on three occasions in Jose Mourinho’s entire managerial career. Mourinho suffered defeat in three successive games once when in charge at each of Chelsea, Porto and Manchester United.

Carlo Ancelotti was sent off after Everton had a late goal chalked off in their 1-1 draw with Manchester United. Dominic Calvert-Lewin gave the hosts an early lead at Goodison Park before Bruno Fernandes equalised. Calvert-Lewin thought he’d scored a late winner but it was ruled out by VAR, with Ancelotti dismissed for his protests after the final whistle.

Jarrod Bowen scored on his full debut as West Ham United won their first Premier League match in two months to beat Southampton 3-1. Sebastian Haller and Michail Antonio were also on target for the Hammers as they moved out of the relegation zone for the first time since the end of January.

Chelsea required a late equaliser from Marcos Alonso to rescue a point in a 2-2 draw at struggling Bournemouth. Alonso netted a brace at the Vitality Stadium and now has three goals in his last two Premier League games, with the Blues maintaining their three-point cushion ahead of fifth-placed Manchester United.

Despite a spirited display against Chelsea, with Watford and West Ham United both winning, the 2-2 draw with the Blues sees Bournemouth drop back into the relegation zone. Two goals in three second-half minutes from Jefferson Lerma and Josh King had put the Cherries 2-1 ahead, but two goals from Alonso ensured the points were shared.

Brighton and Hove Albion still haven't won in 2020, after a 1-0 home defeat to rivals Crystal Palace. Jordan Ayew scored the only goal of the game at the Amex Stadium, meaning Brighton have won just once in their last 14 Premier League matches and are only a point outside the drop zone.

The 3-1 victory for West Ham over Southampton was a welcome result for Hammers owners David Gold and David Sullivan, as fans once again protested their running of the club pre-match. The discontent could be heard loud and clear when Michael Obafemi made it 1-1, but David Moyes’s men came back to win.

Norwich City have renewed hope of avoiding relegation following their 1-0 win over Leicester City. Norwich remain bottom and six points off safety despite their fifth Premier League victory of the season courtesy of Jamal Lewis’ winner, because both Watford and West Ham won. But they closed the gap on several other teams above them.

Leicester City have lost six of their last 11 Premier League matches following their 1-0 defeat at Norwich – more than in Brendan Rodgers’ first 27 games in charge. They have also lost three of their last four against teams in the bottom half, but are still five points ahead of fourth-placed Chelsea.

Newcastle United and Burnley played out a 0-0 draw, meaning Newcastle are winless in their last five matches and haven’t scored in their last four. The Magpies are the lowest scorers in the division with just 24 goals. The Clarets, meanwhile, are unbeaten in six games and remain in the top ten.

The 1-0 win at Brighton was Roy Hodgson’s 100th Premier League match in charge of Crystal Palace, which is the most he has managed with a single club in the competition. Palace are nine points clear of the relegation zone and have a defensive record only bettered by the top three and Sheffield United.