Troy Deeney secured a highly valuable three points for his side in Saturday's Premier League late kick-off. Watford moved one point behind today’s opponents Everton after the Watford captain smashed a finish into the net from inside the box late in the second half.
It was an important victory for Javi Gracia's side, who moved ahead of Bournemouth into tenth, within a point of Everton. While the 'Hornets' continued their good home form, visitors Everton lost their eigth game away from home in the league, in an uninspiring performance.
- Slow Start -
The first half was a fairly unexciting 45 minutes of football, with no real chances to shout about. Ex-Everton man Gerard Deulofeu was the most exciting outlet for the ‘Hornets’, not shying to take on his man Cuco Martina down the right.
For Everton, new signing Theo Walcott’s pace created his side a few chances down the right, however neither of the two managed to create anything of substance.
The half started slow, and heated up slowly as time went on, but both sides were fairly happy to defend in numbers and then attempt to counter attack when the ball broke. Watford looked to be slightly more threatening than the visitors, but the closest either side came to scoring was when Etienne Capoue put a shot from outside the box over the bar, which summed up the half.
- Lack of Quality -
Disappointingly, the second half brought more of the same. Again Watford looked more intent on attacking, but a lack of quality meant they had little luck in the Everton half.
A series of crosses lacked either accuracy or sufficient power to challenge Jordan Pickford, with captain Troy Deeney coming closest.
Everton continued to counter attack, but the closest they came was an acrobatic volley from Wayne Rooney that went over the bar.
Worryingly for the home side, Gerard Deulofeu was forced off the pitch in the 60th minute after a clash with substitute Cenk Tosun. He tried to play on but had to be taken off, which is bad news for Watford, as he was the most exciting player on the pitch.
- Captain Deeney -
The deadlock was finally broken in the 79th minute, as Watford captain Troy Deeney took advantage of pretty much the first real chance of the half.
Stefano Okaka picked the ball up from Femenia down the right, got his head up, and picked out Deeney in the Everton box. The Watford captain smashed the ball into the roof of the net to put the home side ahead, much to the home fans’ delight.
The late goal came after a period of shakiness from the Everton defence, during which keeper Jordan Pickford kicked the ball into Deeney, giving Femenia a chance, which he squandered.
- Late Flurry -
After the goal Sam Allardyce was forced to push forward, and brought on Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Yannick Bolasie for this purpose. However Watford succeeded in pinning the ‘Blues’ in their own half for the majority of the last ten minutes, and Everton only managed one proper chance.
This chance came at the death, as the visitors earned a corner in the 93rd minute. Keeper Pickford charged up the field to challenge, and succeeded in getting his head on the ball, however after a bit of pinball Karnezis collected, and the referee blew on what was a very poor game of football.