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Troy Deeney struck a brace to hand Watford a vital 3-0 win over relegation rivals Aston Villa at Vicarage Road. The Hornets skipper grabbed his first three minutes before half-time and added a second from the penalty spot in the 67th minute, 10 minutes after his teammate Adrian Mariappa had been sent off.
Ismaïla Sarr scored a third not long after to make it back-to-back victories for Nigel Pearson at Vicarage Road and take his side to withing three points of Premier League safety. Dean Smith endured a terrible afternoon in Hertfordshire and his side now looks in trouble, with this their fifth defeat in six league games.
Tom Heaton had impressed in the win over Norwich on Boxing Day and was called into action inside the first minute when he produced a superb point-back save to deny Christian Kabasele.
The hosts dominated during the opening exchanges and, despite a brief rally from Villa, it remained that way for much of the first half – though Ben Foster had to be alert in the 25th minute, diverting Wesley’s downward header over the crossbar after Conor Hourihane’s smart cross. Minute later Wesley appealed for a penalty after a clash with Craig Cathcart, but VAR ruled that no foul had been committed.
Watford went close five minutes before half-time when Sarr dribbled inside two opponents but saw his side-footed deflected wide by Kortney Hause. Villa cleared the resulting corner, but the Hornets kept the ball alive and Abdoulaye Doucouré flicked on for Deeney, who directed his close-range effort straight at Heaton.
The striker should have scored, but made up for it in the 42nd minute when he scuffed home from six yards after Doucouré had been denied by the visitors’ goalkeeper following a poor clearance from Ezri Konsa.
Deeney, a boyhood Birmingham fan, cupped his ears to the Villa supporters and Pearson’s team deservedly led 1-0 at half-time, though the manager was forced to replace Will Hughes with Nathaniel Chalobah at the interval.
Smith could not have been impressed with his players’ showing and introduced Trézéguet for the ineffective Jota, which did lift the away side and their cause was helped a little more in the 57th minute when Mariappa received his second yellow card in the space of six minutes for a cynical foul on Henri Lansbury, the first being a similar challenge on Jack Grealish.
Pearson reacted by withdrawing the substitute Chalobah for Craig Dawson and shortly afterwards the Hornets’ grabbed the second goal their play warranted.
After Sarr sent Deeney away, a backtracking Douglas Luiz brought down the home captain. VAR checked the incident, but the penalty stood and Watford’s No 9 drilled down the middle to make it 2-0.
It was dreamland for the hosts four minutes later when Étienne Capoue won possession from Grealish, linked up with Deeney and crossed in for Sarr. The Hornets finish 2019 on a high.
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