Ten-man Everton come from two goals behind to win 3-2 away at Vicarage Road as Watford are left floundering in the relegation zone.
Story of the match
Following three games in six days, during which a young Watford side were dumped out of the FA Cup away to Tranmere Rovers, the Hornets returned to Premier League action today after a week off from competition.
Nigel Pearson was boosted by the return of Danny Welbeck and Will Hughes to the match day squad, with the former having recovered from a hamstring injury after three months on the sidelines, last appearing for the Hornets in the 1-1 draw away to Tottenham Hotspur.
Pearson did, however, find himself without Craig Dawson, who was replaced in the starting line-up by Christian Kabasele. Also, Ismaila Sarr, Kiko Femenia and Tom Cleverley were all still sidelined with injuries.
Everton arrived in Hertfordshire having also had a week off from the FA Cup and in good form, unbeaten in three and only four points off Manchester United in fifth.
Carlo Ancelotti was buoyed by the return of former Hornet Richarlison to the starting line-up, alongside Alex Iwobi and Gylfi Sigurdsson in three changes to the side that drew with Newcastle United two weeks ago.
A sold-out away end greeted the Toffees at Vicarage Road as Everton sought their third win of the season against Watford after victories at Goodison Park in the league and Carabao Cup. However, the Hornets had won their last three home games against the Toffees and initially continued their good form here.
Starting in the familiar 4-2-3-1 formation with Troy Deeney as the lone striker, Watford put early pressure on Yerry Mina and Mason Holgate. But it was Everton who had the first chance in the fifth minute.
Iwobi drove to the edge of the Watford box unchallenged, before feeding Richarlison eight yards out, centre of goal. The young Brazilian fired over the bar and into the Rookery end.
Only five minutes later and Everton found themselves ruing Richarlison’s miss as they went behind.
Etienne Capoue had just enough time on the right-hand side to play a 45-yard cross-field ball to Gerard Deulofeu. Watford’s number seven controlled the ball over his shoulder before taking a touch and playing in a marauding Adam Masina just inside the Everton box. Watford’s wing-back took only two touches before hitting a bouncing ball passed a helpless and wrong-footed Jordan Pickford.
Everton were shocked. Watford were euphoric after a wonderful team goal.
Ten minutes later and the away side still looked at sea as Pickford found himself in a a precarious position 30 yards out from goal and with Roberto Pereyra bearing down on goal. The Everton goalkeeper got lucky as the ball rebounded off his body but Ancelotti was not impressed and made his feelings heard.
Everton immediately responded. Djibril Sidibé found some space down the right hand-side and crossed the ball into a leaping Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Ten yards out and stretching, he could only head the ball into the comforting embrace of Ben Foster in the Watford goal.
Everton’s resurgence was brief.
In the 42nd minute, after a period of pinball in midfield, the ball fell to Deeney in between the Everton midfield and defence. Two touches and a through-ball later, Deeney had played in Pereyra. Unchallenged and unfazed, the Argentinian sent Pickford the wrong way from the edge of the box and Watford found themselves 2-0 up.
Three minutes later and Everton had earned themselves a lifeline. A threatening corner by Lucas Digne into the six-yard box provoked a scramble, with Mina poking home from one yard.
In added time, it was a case of rinse and repeat as Everton equalised through the combination of Sigurdsson and Mina, with the latter heading home the corner after shaking off a feeble Craig Cathcart at the back post.
It was a frantic end to the first half that continued into the second.
Everton sniffed blood as they sought to capitalise on the set-piece frailties of the Hornets, firing in cross after cross, corner and corner into the Watford box.
However opportunities were few and far between for both sides as the game grew scrappy and physical.
The growing ferocity came to the fore in the 71st minute as Fabian Delph received his marching orders for a lunging tackle on Capoue, earning him his second yellow card only 15 minutes after a scissor-tackle on Pereyra.
Watford were galvanised by the sending-off.
With under ten minutes to play, Abdoulaye Doucoure twice struck wide in as many minutes from the edge of the box, whilst neither Welbeck and Doucoure could capitalise on a loose ball in the Everton box as the Hornets pushed for that elusive winner.
It was, however, to come at the other end as Everton completed the unlikeliest of comebacks as the clock struck 90.
Everton countered three on two with Richarlison baring down on the Watford goal. Seeking out Moise Kean in the centre of the box, the Everton striker could only slice it into the path of an onrushing Theo Walcott. Six yards out, with only Foster to beat, the former England international made no mistake, sliding it into the bottom corner.
It was cruel on Watford but Everton won’t care as they moved to within one point of sixth.
Takeaways from the match
Set-piece frailties
Watford have now conceded 10 goals from set-pieces, over 25% of all goals conceded this season. And their defensive frailties were ever more evident today as Everton, and Mina in particular, exploited poor positioning and lack of strength.
Everton had scored more goals from headers (10) than any other Premier League side coming into this game. It was a nightmare waiting to happen.
However, the Toffees were up against a Watford side with Foster, who had already recorded more clean sheets this season (8) than last (7) and no goalkeeper in the league had more.
Not only that, before today Foster was fifth in the league for most saves with 77. But that doesn’t stop Watford shipping goals, having conceded 39 already this season, and Foster could do nothing about Everton’s three today.
Initially, Mina capitalised on poor communication in the Hornets’ defensive ranks to poke the ball home in a bundle of bodies before breezing passed Cathcart for the equaliser. Everton seemed to have the freedom of the Watford box from set-pieces but it was over-committing in attack that ultimately cost Watford a point.
Against ten men, in the ascendency and pushing for a winner, Watford were finally exposed to the Everton counter that had been threatening since the first minute. With the pace of Richarlison, Kean and Walcott, Watford went to sleep and found themselves on the wrong side of a three-on-two. After the game, Pearson refused to call it ‘naive’ but there aren’t too many other words for it.
Stand-out players
Etienne Capoue
On the surface, Capoue’s contribution for Watford has been minimal this season: 20 appearances, one assists, no goals. But with an 82.8% pass success rate at 51.2 passes per game, Capoue’s impact is rather more intangible but no less effectual.
The 45 yard cross-field ball to Deulofeu for the opening goal was a wonderful indication of what the Frenchman brings to this side, along with his composure, vision, break-up play and positioning. Capoue was again at his very best today.
Roberto Pereyra
Pereyra has shown rare glimpses of his feisty, competitive side during his time with Watford and it seems to urge him on as a playmaker.
Games against Leicester City in 2016, Huddersfield Town in 2018, and Arsenal in 2019 come to mind as matches Pereyra has shone and shown what he is capable of, today was another one of those games.
A reckless challenge by Digne in the first half seemed to spark the Watford winger into life as the Frenchman's lunging tackle went over the ball and into the ankle of Pereyra.
Pereyra only needed two minutes to find his vengeance. Digne, dallying on the ball in his own half, fell victim to a perfectly timed body check from the Watford winger and felt it.
Only a few minutes later and the Argentinian was celebrating in front of the away fans after showing great hunger and composure for his goal, after being played through by Deeney.
Pereyra duly received a standing ovation as he was brought off for Isaac Success with 15 minutes to play.
But his individual performance was not enough for Watford to secure a point from the game.
Speaking after the game, Pearson was honest in his assessment of his side’s capitulation: “We have to reflect very honestly that we haven’t taken care of our own performance… we didn’t work hard enough to protect the lead.”
But, ever the pragmatist, Pearson was steadfast in his belief in his squad: “We tried to win it, ended up losing it, we’ll get over it… we’ve got good players, we’ve proved before the level of performance we can achieve… we need to answer the doubters with our next performance.”
After Brighton & Hove Albion away next weekend, Watford travel to Manchester United before welcoming Liverpool at the end of February. Those doubters could soon be forecasting the demise of Watford if Pearson doesn’t answer them in seven days.
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