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Tag: Watford

  • Tottenham draw Watford with late Alli equaliser

    Tottenham draw Watford with late Alli equaliser

    Dele Alli rescued a late point for Tottenham to deny visitors Watford a first Premier League win of the season amid video assistant referee (VAR) confusion.

    With the out-of-form hosts desperately seeking a way back into the game, Hornets keeper Ben Foster flapped at an 86th-minute cross, with Alli controlling with his shoulder before turning the ball into the net.

    The video assistant referee reviewed the goal and decided it was correctly awarded. The big screen, however, indicated that the decision was ‘no goal’. After a spell of confusion, the goal stood.

    For large periods before Alli’s intervention, it had looked as though Mauricio Pochettino’s side were going to suffer a fifth defeat in six games.

    Watford, who lost Danny Welbeck to an early hamstring injury, took the lead when Abdoulaye Doucoure swept home Daryl Janmaat’s cross.

    And they had a strong penalty appeal turned down by referee Chris Kavanagh – and the VAR – when Jan Vertonghen brought down Gerard Deulofeu.

    But, despite coming agonisingly close, their wait for a first Premier League win continues and they remain bottom.

  • Bernardo Silva gets hat-trick as Manchester City whip Watford 8-0

    Bernardo Silva gets hat-trick as Manchester City whip Watford 8-0

    A Bernardo Silva hat-trick helped Manchester City to secure the joint second biggest English Premier League (EPL) victory in history on Saturday.

    They thrashed a bewildered Watford 8-0 at the Etihad Stadium, in an immediate response to their first league defeat since January at Norwich City last weekend.

    They blew Watford away by becoming the first side to score five goals in the first 18 minutes of a Premier League game.

    David Silva got Manchester City up and running after finishing off a delightful pass from Kevin De Bruyne in the first minute.

    Sergio Aguero’s 100th Premier League goal doubled the hosts’ advantage from the penalty kick spot thereafter.

    Riyad Mahrez curled a brilliant free kick into the net in the 12th minute, with a Bernardo Silva header and a Nicolas Otamendi tap-in completing the 18-minute rout.

    Watford brought on an extra defender just after the half-hour mark to try to stem the tide, seeing themselves through to half-time without further damage.

    Bernardo Silva added a sixth goal three minutes into the second period.

    He completed his first top-flight hat-trick with a close-range finish to make it seven.

    De Bruyne hammered home a superb eighth as Manchester City came up one short of Manchester United’s record 9-0 victory over Ipswich Town in 1995.

  • EPL: Blame me for Arsenal draw – Sokratis

    EPL: Blame me for Arsenal draw – Sokratis

    Arsenal defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos says he is solely responsible for allowing Watford to come from two goals down to earn a draw on Sunday.

    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s first-half double seemed to have Arsenal on course for victory, only for the Hornets to welcome Quique Sanchez Flores back into the Vicarage Road dugout by staging a comeback as the visitors’ defence crumbled.

    The game ended 2-2 as Papastathopoulos gifted possession to Gerard Deulofeu with Unai Emery’s side looking to play out from the back – Tom Cleverley punishing the Greece international by converting as a result.

    Things went from bad to worse when David Luiz tripped Roberto Pereyra inside the box and the substitute converted the penalty to level the scores.

    Head coach Emery refused to criticise his players, while captain Granit Xhaka claimed they had been “scared” in the second half.

    But Sokratis, signed from Borussia Dortmund last summer, said: “I think that I cost the game for the team. It was my mistake for something simple that I don’t have to do.

    “I think this was the problem why we lose the three points. This is all about our responsibility and we have to do better. It was my mistake and today without my mistake, we would take the three points.

    “I don’t want to speak about others. Today it was my mistake and this cost the game. Nothing else. The other guys tried their best. I don’t have to do this mistake.”

    Watford had 31 shots on goal during the game as they dominated after the interval, with Sokratis admitting Arsenal were not up to scratch in the second 45 minutes.

    “Of course. I apologised because today I cost the game for the team and I have to work harder,” he added.

    “I know up to this moment I didn’t have a mistake, I didn’t do nothing. Everything was near to perfect. We didn’t have the same pace in the second half as in the first half.

    “But if we didn’t do these mistakes, I don’t think we draw. Of course they had other chances to score more, but if we didn’t do these mistakes then nothing happens.”

     

  • EPL: Arsenal too scared of Watford, says Xhaka

    EPL: Arsenal too scared of Watford, says Xhaka

    Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka says the Gunners “were too scared” as they let slip a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Watford.

    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice in the first half for the visitors but the Hornets hit back after the break through Tom Cleverley and a late Roberto Pereyra penalty.

    Watford finished with 31 shots on goal, 23 of those coming in the second half.

    “No-one wanted the ball. In the end we are happy to take a point,” Xhaka said.

    “We didn’t show our game in the second half, we were too scared.”

    Xhaka added: “Every team in the Premier League is strong enough to score but you have to keep calm, to show good character, to be mentally strong. We weren’t today.”

  • EPL: Watford come from behind to draw Arsenal

    EPL: Watford come from behind to draw Arsenal

    Watford fought back from two goals down at half-time to draw at home to Arsenal in Quique Sanchez Flores’ first match since being reappointed Hornets manager.

    They levelled the scores when Roberto Pereyra rolled in a late penalty after Tom Cleverley had reduced the deficit when Gunners defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos gave away possession inside his own area, to take only their second point of the season.

    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had put the visitors in front when he collected Sead Kolasinac’s pass on the turn before firing past Ben Foster.

    Arsenal doubled their lead as Aubemeyang finished a sweeping team move but the hosts improved after the break as the Gunners unravelled in front of the vociferous home support.

    The Hornets had their chances to complete a stunning comeback with a decisive third, but the otherwise impressive Gerard Deulofeu dragged his effort narrowly wide.

    The result sees Arsenal move into seventh, while the Hornets remain rooted to the foot of the table.

    BBC

  • Watford sign Nigerian midfielder on six-year deal

    Premier League club Watford have announced the arrival of Nigeria’s Tom Dele-Bashiru on a six-year deal.
    Dele-Bashiru left Manchester City following the expiry of his contract and will now continue his career at Vicarage Road until 2024.
    The 19-year-old midfielder was part of the Nigeria U20 team at the 2019 Fifa U20 World Cup in Poland and he scored a goal in three games before their exit in the knockout round.
    Dele-Bashiru becomes the second summer signing in Javi Gracia’s team after Craig Dawson’s move from West Bromwich Albion.
    The midfielder will join compatriot Isaac Success at Vicarage Road as he seeks regular playing time in the 2019-20 campaign.
    During his spell at Manchester City, Dele-Bashiru featured for the club’s youth team and made his professional debut as a 91st-minute substitute during their League Cup quarter-final match against Leicester City in December 2017.

  • EPL: Freakish goal gives Arsenal victory at Watford

    EPL: Freakish goal gives Arsenal victory at Watford

    Arsenal boosted their hopes of a top-four finish in the English Premier League after a bizarre 10th-minute goal by striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave them a 1-0 win at 10-man Watford on Monday.

    The result lifted the Gunners two places up to fourth on 66 points from 33 games, ahead of fifth-placed Chelsea on goal difference and two points in front of sixth-placed Manchester United.

    Watford stayed 10th with 46 points.

    The fast-paced clash took a decisive turn in a frantic one-minute spell early on, as Aubameyang found the back of the net in unlikely fashion.

    And then Watford striker Troy Deeney was shown a straight red card for elbowing Lucas Torreira.

    The home side’s goalkeeper Ben Foster dwelled on Daryl Janmaat’s back pass for too long, allowing Aubameyang to close him down and block his attempted goalmouth clearance.

    The ball agonisingly ricocheted into the back of the net.

    Despite their numerical disadvantage, Watford kept pressing and missed a string of chances to draw level.
    They were twice denied by the woodwork as well as by some good saves from Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno.

    Aubameyang, Alex Iwobi, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan also came close at the other end,but Arsenal were forced to hang on in the closing stages with Watford throwing men forward.

  • Barcelona on different level to United, says Deulofeu

    Barcelona on different level to United, says Deulofeu

    Watford’s former Barcelona forward Gerard Deulofeu is convinced the Catalans will win their Champions League quarter-final tie against Manchester United, saying the runaway La Liga leaders are on a different level to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.

    United host the first leg on Wednesday, the teams’ first official meeting since Barca brushed United aside to win 3-1 in the 2011 Champions League final. The return leg at the Nou Camp is on April 16.

    The Premier League side have shown a marked improvement in form since Solskjaer succeeded Jose Mourinho as coach in December, although they have struggled of late, losing three of their last four outings in all competitions.

    “United have improved but I think Barca are the clear favourites, if they play even slightly well they will win the tie,” Deulofeu told Spanish newspaper Marca on Tuesday.

    “United are at a good level, but they are not on the same level as Barca. If it becomes an end-to-end game United will be very dangerous but Barca will know how to deal with that because they dominate so much and always have control in matches.”

    Deulofeu came through Barca’s academy and had several stints in the team before opting to leave the club last year to join Watford.

    On Sunday he came off the bench to lead their remarkable 3-2 comeback win over Wolverhampton Wanderers which took Watford into the FA Cup final.

    Barca, meanwhile, won a decisive game with Atletico Madrid 2-0 with late goals from Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi to move 11 points clear at the top of La Liga, tightening their grip on an eighth title in the past 11 years.

    For Deulofeu, United will be no match for Messi and his team mates.

    “All you need to do is watch them play to see they are the favourites,” he added.

    “They are in a great moment of form and they can count on the best player around (Messi) who can fix any situation.”

  • FA Cup: Gray strike sends Watford into semi-finals

    FA Cup: Gray strike sends Watford into semi-finals

    Second-half substitute Andre Gray scored two minutes after coming on to send Watford into the FA Cup semi-finals with victory over Crystal Palace at Vicarage Road.

    The Hornets had earlier led through Etienne Capoue’s instinctive finish before Michy Batshuayi levelled for the Eagles, finishing coolly after dispossessing Adrian Mariappa.

    But soon after after replacing Will Hughes, Gray fired past Vincente Guaita to send his club into only their sixth FA Cup semi-final.

    After retaking the lead the hosts looked the more likely side to score as Troy Deeney saw an effort well saved and Aaron Wan-Bissaka made a crucial intervention to keep out Gerard Deulofeu in the closing stages.

    Javi Gracia’s Watford have now beaten Palace three times this season, having done the double over them in the Premier League.

  • EPL: Deulofeu scores hat-trick as Watford thrash Cardiff

    Spaniard Gerard Deulofeu bagged a hat-trick as Watford hammered Cardiff City 5-1 on Friday to move up to seventh place in the English Premier League (EPL).

    Deulofeu put Javi Gracia’s side ahead in the 18th minute after a mistake from Cardiff defender Bruno Manga, but it was after the break when Watford ran away with the game.

    Deulofeu made it 2-0 with a clinical finish after a swift break in the 61st minute.

    The former FC Barcelona and Everton winger completed his hat-trick after more poor defending from Neil Warnock’s side.

    Deulofeu then turned creator, teeing up Troy Deeney for a simple tap-in as Watford romped into a four-goal advantage.

    Cardiff, who are 17th and could fall back into the bottom three after this weekend’s games, pulled a goal back through defender Sol Bamba.

    But Watford added further punishment with Deeney’s second in stoppage time.