Watford FC 2-0 Manchester United
Bottom club Watford beat Manchester United today thanks to a David de Gea howler early in the second half, and a penalty minutes later.
It’s a huge win for the Hornets, which keeps their Premier League survival hopes alive, but for the Red Devils it’s back to reality after their recent stunning win over Manchester City.
Watford’s latest head coach, Nigel Pearson, said the Hornets were capable of survival when he arrived at the club. I suppose he couldn’t say anything else but it will be one heck of a feat if they make the great escape. He was sufficiently impressed by his new team’s performance in defeat to Liverpool last week to name an unchanged side, which meant the recently returned Troy Deeney made another start.
And his faith paid off.
Highlights of the game
The Hornets opened the game brightly, dominating possession in the early minutes, but it was Manchester United who had the first opening. Anthony Martial released Dan James and continued his run into the box, but when the ball came in he dragged his shot wide.
The Hornets desperately needed a win from this game and they showed more urgency and intent as the half wore on, while their illustrious visitors were rather sloppy in possession. The Red Devils have been a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde team of late and Watford must have been encouraged by their lacklustre start.
But despite playing some nice football the bottom club struggled to carve out an opening and it was United who had the best chance of the half. Jesse Lingard timed a run perfectly to collect a through ball from Martial and he was clean through on goal; he tried a deft chip over Ben Foster but lifted the ball too high and over the crossbar.
Five minutes before the break Watford came close when Abdoulaye Doucoure found the overlapping Kiko Femenia who swung a dangerous cross in which Doucoure met, but glanced his header narrowly wide.
The Hornets were still in the game at half time, and they were well in it five minutes into the second half when David de Gea handed them an early Christmas gift. Will Hughes swung in a free-kick which United failed to clear and as the ball fell to Ismaila Sarr he seemed to fall over as he scuffed his shot down into the ground and up into the arms of de Gea. But the United keeper’s arms opened and the ball squeezed into the net.
It was a dream for Watford and two minutes later United’s nightmare became worse when Aaron Wan-Bissaka chopped Sarr down in the box and referee Lee Mason pointed to the spot.
As de Gea dived to his right Deeney smashed his spot kick down the centre of the goal and the roof came off Vicarage Road.
Young Mason Greenwood climbed off the bench to score a late equaliser in Manchester United’s draw with Everton last week and Solskjaer threw him on again. And Paul Pogba, who many United fans didn’t expect to see again, also entered the fray. The Frenchman almost created a chance for Marcus Rashford with a brilliant ball forward, but the Watford defence stood firm. And then Pogba tried one from distance but Foster held the ball well.
Harry Maguire had a great chance to pull one back when he met a corner but he planted his free header into the grateful hands of Foster. Then Greewood had a big chance when he was clean through but, just as Lingard had in the first half, he lobbed his effort too high.
Key statistics
Before today goals have been hard to come by for the Hornets. The long term injury to talisman Troy Deeney has meant that no Watford player came into this game with more than two goals to his name, and after 17 matches that spells trouble. In fact, the Hornets have converted less than five per cent of their shots this season, nine goals from 197 efforts, and so it was little surprise that there were no shots on target, from either team, in the first half.
But de Gea came to the rescue minutes after the break!
Watford had lost 14 of their last 15 against the Red Devils, so this was a rare victory indeed.
Manchester United started the match with the longest current run in the Premier League without a clean sheet and that’s now extended to 13 games. And in eighth place, with 25 points, they have their lowest Premier League total at this stage of the season ever.
The latest Premier League 2019 betting odds predict an uphill task for Nigel Pearson’s team but, on this performance, they aren’t out of the survival race just yet.
What’s next?
There’s a hectic set schedule of fixtures over the Christmas period and we’ll be all over the very latest Premier League 2019 news and highlights right here at SBOBET.
The Red Devils are at home to Newcastle United on Boxing Day before making the short trip north to face Burnley on the 28th.
Watford are away to Sheffield United and then have a huge clash at home to 18th placed Aston Villa.
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