Liverpool beat Watford, lose Coutinho

WATFORD, England (AP):

Liverpool improved its bid to secure a Champions League spot by beating Watford 1-0 in a largely forgettable English Premier League match yesterday.

Only Emre Can made this one memorable, by meeting a Lucas Leiva cross with a bicycle-kick scored in first-half stoppage time. League rivals Manchester City, Manchester United, and Arsenal dropped points in the race for a top four position, so a win was vital for Liverpool, which has struggled against teams in the bottom half.

The Reds, with 69 points, moved four points clear of fifth-placed United, though they have played an extra game.

The victory came at a cost, as forward Philippe Coutinho lasted less than 10 minutes.