Norwich City 0-2 Watford: Hornets' first win of season lifts them off bottom

Published on: 08 November 2019

Gerard Deulofeu's goal was the second fastest by an away team in the Premier League this season

Watford earned their first Premier League win of the season as they moved off the bottom of the table at the expense of opponents Norwich.

The Hornets' victory, their first in the top flight since April, means they leapfrog Southampton and the hosts, whose own winless run has now stretched to a seventh game.

Gerard Deulofeu's goal after 76 seconds after some lax defending from Emiliano Buendia set Watford on their way and Andre Gray's close-range flick from a Deulofeu cross secured the points.

But they had to survive for 25 minutes with 10 men after Christian Kabasele was dismissed for his second yellow card.

That provided the hosts with some impetus in the closing stages but Quique Sanchez Flores' side held firm to earn a first league victory since his return to the club.

The Hornets, who have struggled for goals this term, displayed a clinical streak that has until now been absent, scoring with their only two efforts on target.

Norwich have now gone 10 Premier League home games without keeping a clean sheet - a run stretching back to their previous campaign in the top flight - and hold the worst defensive record in the division.

    Reaction from as Watford claim first win of the season at Norwich

Deulofeu stars on positive night for Watford

Watford's season has so far followed a familiar pattern of failing to convert chances in front of goal before being punished at the other end.

So this was a welcome reversal of fortune for Sanchez Flores, who had overseen four draws and three defeats in his seven matches in charge since replacing compatriot Javi Gracia in September.

The Spanish boss will also have been encouraged by being able to name Troy Deeney in a Hornets squad for the first time since August.

And while the physical presence and bustling firepower that the 31-year-old can provide may yet prove pivotal if Watford are to turn their season around, Deulofeu's pace was crucial in East Anglia.

Dispossessing Buendia, Deulofeu drifted into the Norwich penalty area from the right unopposed and drilled a low left-foot shot past Canaries goalkeeper Tim Krul into the bottom left corner from 15 yards.

While he clearly has the capacity to frustrate his team-mates at times, by failing to track back or make runs in behind opposition defences, the former Barcelona and Everton forward then created Watford's second.

Latching on to a ball down the left channel, the 25-year-old teased Max Aarons before picking out Gray, whose attempted backheel deflected off Jamal Lewis into the bottom left corner.

More to follow.

    Line-ups Match Stats Live Text

Line-ups

Norwich

    1Krul

    2Aarons

    27Tettey

    4Godfrey

    12LewisSubstituted forVrancicat 81'minutesBooked at 86mins

    19Trybull

    23McLean

    17BuendíaSubstituted forCantwellat 62'minutes

    18StiepermannSubstituted forDrmicat 62'minutes

    11Hernández

    22Pukki

Substitutes

    3Byram

    8Vrancic

    14Cantwell

    20Drmic

    21Fährmann

    24Amadou

    32Srbeny

Watford

    26Foster

    2Janmaat

    27KabaseleBooked at 65mins

    4Dawson

    15Cathcart

    25HolebasSubstituted forMasinaat 88'minutesBooked at 90mins

    16Doucouré

    29Capoue

    19HughesBooked at 69mins

    7DeulofeuSubstituted forMariappaat 70'minutes

    37PereyraSubstituted forGrayat 31'minutes

Substitutes

    1Gomes

    6Mariappa

    9Deeney

    11Masina

    14Chalobah

    18Gray

    21Femenía

Referee:

Andre Marriner

Match Stats

Home TeamNorwichAway TeamWatford

Possession

Home66%

Away34%

Shots

Home17

Away12

Shots on Target

Home5

Away2

Corners

Home10

Away4

Fouls

Home7

Away13

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Norwich City 0, Watford 2.

Full TimePosted at 90'+6'

Second Half ends, Norwich City 0, Watford 2.

Posted at 90'+4'

Todd Cantwell (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 90'+4'

Foul by Etienne Capoue (Watford).

BookingPosted at 90'+3'

Adam Masina (Watford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 90'+3'

Max Aarons (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'+3'

Foul by Adam Masina (Watford).

Posted at 90'+2'

Attempt missed. Ben Godfrey (Norwich City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Mario Vrancic.

Posted at 89'

Foul by Max Aarons (Norwich City).

Posted at 89'

Adam Masina (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

SubstitutionPosted at 88'

Substitution, Watford. Adam Masina replaces José Holebas.

BookingPosted at 86'

Mario Vrancic (Norwich City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 86'

Foul by Mario Vrancic (Norwich City).

Posted at 86'

Etienne Capoue (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 86'

Attempt blocked. Mario Vrancic (Norwich City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Posted at 85'

Max Aarons (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 85'

Foul by José Holebas (Watford).

Posted at 84'

Attempt blocked. Tom Trybull (Norwich City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Posted at 84'

Attempt blocked. Tom Trybull (Norwich City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Teemu Pukki.

Posted at 83'

Attempt missed. Andre Gray (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Will Hughes following a fast break.

SubstitutionPosted at 81'

Substitution, Norwich City. Mario Vrancic replaces Jamal Lewis.

Posted at 81'

Jamal Lewis (Norwich City) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 81'

Foul by Abdoulaye Doucouré (Watford).

Posted at 78'

Corner, Watford. Conceded by Tom Trybull.

Posted at 77'

Foul by Kenny McLean (Norwich City).

Posted at 77'

Will Hughes (Watford) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 76'

Attempt missed. Jamal Lewis (Norwich City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Todd Cantwell following a corner.

Posted at 76'

Corner, Norwich City. Conceded by Daryl Janmaat.

Posted at 74'

Max Aarons (Norwich City) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 74'

Foul by José Holebas (Watford).

Posted at 74'

Attempt blocked. Max Aarons (Norwich City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Teemu Pukki.

Posted at 74'

Corner, Norwich City. Conceded by Etienne Capoue.

Posted at 71'

Corner, Norwich City. Conceded by Ben Foster.

Posted at 71'

Attempt saved. Kenny McLean (Norwich City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.

SubstitutionPosted at 70'

Substitution, Watford. Adrian Mariappa replaces Gerard Deulofeu.

BookingPosted at 69'

Will Hughes (Watford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 69'

Kenny McLean (Norwich City) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 69'

Foul by Will Hughes (Watford).

DismissalPosted at 65'

Second yellow card to Christian Kabasele (Watford) for a bad foul.

Posted at 65'

Josip Drmic (Norwich City) wins a free kick on the left wing.

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goal

Source: bbc.com

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