Live Commentary: Watford 1-2 Chelsea - as it happened

Two goals from Eden Hazard have given Chelsea a 2-1 victory over Watford in the Boxing Day clash at Vicarage Road.

Hazard's first - and 100th in a Chelsea shirt - came just before the break, but Roberto Pereyra was able to find an instant leveller for Watford.

However, Hazard netted a second from the spot just before the hour mark, and it proved enough for Chelsea to register a welcome three points.

Find out how all of the action unfolded in Hertfordshire courtesy of Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.

9.32pmThat will be all from Sports Mole for this match. Thank you for joining us this evening, and we hope to see you again soon. If you would like to read our on-the-whistle match report, you can do so by clicking here. Goodbye for now.

9.30pmThe full-time whistle goes at Vicarage Road and Chelsea have held on to register a welcome three points. Hazard netted a double either side of Pereyra's volley, and it has given the Blues a two-point advantage over fifth-placed Arsenal.

FULL TIME:

90+5 minWatford 1-2 Chelsea

90+3 minChelsea give the ball away and Watford win a corner...

90+2 minWe are halfway through injury time and it is Chelsea who are still looking for goals. They have played really well this second half.

90 minThere will be four minutes of added-on time.

CHANCE!

89 minChelsea come close yet again, with Willian's weak effort being diverted just wide of the post by Foster. He didn't know too much about it, however!

SHOT!

87 minJorginho tries his luck from around 25 yards out, and the Italian's strike goes just over the crossbar.

86 minSUBSTITUTION! Sarri doesn't like what he sees and opts to replace substitute Hudson-Odoi with Palmieri. It's a defensive-minded change.

84 minWatford have improved since Kante failed to wrap up the game for Chelsea. There are just six minutes remaining, but you shouldn't write the Hornets off just yet.

82 minSUBSTITUTION! Watford's third and final change sees Success come on for Deulofeu.

80 minSUBSTITUTION! Sarri makes a second alteration with Barkley replacing Kovacic.

CHANCE!

80 minWatford go straight back up the other end and create a chance of their own. Deeney gets across the front of Luiz and flicks the ball towards goal, but his effort goes over the bar.

CHANCE!

79 minAnother chance for Chelsea goes begging. Hazard runs at the Watford defence before finding the run of Kante, who is through on goal. However, the midfielder drills a low shot from around 16 yards out wide of the far post.

77 minThe Hornets are starting to earn a couple of set pieces in and around the box. They have struggled to put together anything in open play over the last 15 minutes, so it may be their best chance of a leveller.

75 minWatford win a free kick on the left-hand side of the penalty area, but Jorginho makes a fine headed clearance inside the six-yard box.

CHANCE!

73 minChelsea almost wrap up the game. Hazard sets up Willian inside the area, but the Brazilian sends a half-volley fizzing past the far post from around 15 yards out.

72 minWatford finally retrieve the ball and attempt to put together an attack, but it lacks any urgency and Chelsea are able to get back into position.

70 minChelsea win a free kick in a dangerous area, but it is half-cleared away from goal. Chelsea regain possession and are comfortable in going backwards for the time being.

67 minSUBSTITUTION! Watford make a second change with Quina being introduced for Sema.

66 minMore of the same from Chelsea who are working the ball about well. Watford are having to load up on either flank to prevent crosses being delivered into the middle.

64 minThe game is going through a bit of a lull. Both teams are waiting for the substitutions, which are inevitable at this stage.

62 minYou'd expect Chelsea to play on the break from here. They have looked dangerous on the counter on numerous occasions this evening and Watford are beginning to get tired. There are still more goals in this match, you would think.

60 minThat goal has knocked the stuffing out of the crowd because Watford had started to get on top. It probably won't be long before Gracia opts to make a change.

58 minHazard picks himself up and makes no mistake from the spot, sending Foster the wrong way.

GOAL!

58 minWatford 1-2 Chelsea (Eden Hazard)

PENALTY!

58 minChelsea win a penalty. Jorginho's ball over the top finds Hazard and Foster clatters into the attacker. An absolute stone-waller.

56 minSema superbly turns Alonso inside out and the winger is able to advance into the penalty area. However, he hesitates and it gives Chelsea the chance to get a couple of defenders across to make the block.

54 minAnother big call from the referee, who decides that Luiz has not fouled Deulofeu in the penalty area. They appear to hook arms, but you could not have blamed the official for awarding a spot kick with Luiz going across the forward.

52 minChelsea have appeals for two fouls on Alonso and Hazard, but the referee decides that both challenges were fair. Neither of them were! Watford get a throw-in, but nothing comes from it.

50 minWatford hit back down the right with Doucoure getting involved, but Chelsea just about see off the danger. This is shaping up nicely.

48 minBoth teams are already showing attacking intent at the start of this second half. Chelsea put together a good move down the right before the final cross was over-hit.

KICKOFF:

46 minChelsea get us back underway.

8.29pmThe injuries to Kabasele and Pedro have tarnished the first half, but both of the goals from Hazard and Pereyra possessed quality. Hazard's effort was clinical, but Pereyra's volley from outside of the area came out of the blue and it has given Watford the momentum.

8.24pmThe half-time whistle goes at Vicarage Road and we are back on level terms! It looked like Hazard had given Chelsea the lead ahead of the second half, but Pereyra's outstanding volley has provided Watford with the equaliser that they probably deserve.

HALF TIME:

45+4 minWatford 1-1 Chelsea

45+3 minWow. Watford are level and in some style too. The ball is floated towards the edge of the area and a first-time volley from Pereyra goes through a pack of players before finding the bottom corner!

GOAL!

45+3 minWatford 1-1 Chelsea (Roberto Pereyra)

CHANCE!

45+3 minNearly an instant equaliser for Watford! Rudiger doesn't do enough to clear the ball and Deeney's knockdown find the run of Doucoure, who has a shot smothered at his feet by Arrizabalaga.

45+1 minChelsea take the lead! Watford make a mistake in the middle of the park and Chelsea capitalise. Kovacic plays Hazard through on goal and the Belgian takes the ball around Foster before firing into an empty net. It's his 100th in a Chelsea shirt.

GOAL!

45+1 minWatford 0-1 Chelsea (Eden Hazard)

45 minThere will be four minutes of added-on time. That is partly due to the injury sustained by Kabasele, and the centre-back is being taken to hospital.

44 minSUBSTITUTION! Pedro have picked up what appears to be a thigh or hamstring injury and Hudson-Odoi has been introduced. Chelsea fans, I'm not joking...

42 minThis game has been played in bursts rather than the pace of the match constantly being at a high level. Chelsea are mixing up their possession by playing quickly on the break.

40 minJust the five minutes to go until half time and both sides will be relatively pleased with their first-half performance. That said, it only feels a matter of time before we get the opening goal.

38 minJorginho loses the ball in midfield and it leaves Chelsea there for the taking at the back. Deulofeu runs at Rudiger before finding the run of Deeney, but Luiz gets across to make a timely block.

36 minWhile Chelsea are offering more of a threat, Watford are also starting to press the visitors in their own defensive third. The tempo has gone up a couple of levels.

34 minChelsea are improving in the final third. Hazard should put the Blues ahead with Azpilicueta finding his teammate with a low cross, but the Belgian completely misses the ball from around four yards out.

SHOT!

32 minWatford break forward again with Pereyra getting down the left. The ball is pulled back for Sema, but the winger fires over the crossbar from around 16 yards out.

31 minBetter from Chelsea who keep hold of the ball before getting Pedro involved. The winger picks out Kante - who is the most advanced player - but the Frenchman is eased off the ball.

29 minAside from that Doucoure chance, the game has gone a bit flat. Chelsea haven't looked much of a threat for about 20 minutes now.

27 minWatford break forward and it's Doucoure who gets on the ball down the right. The midfielder cuts inside Rudiger and attempts a shot towards the far corner, but Jorginho makes a terrific block.

25 minEveryone but Deeney is getting behind the ball when Chelsea have possession. The visitors are struggling to pick out a final pass.

23 minHazard does superbly to get hold of the ball and weave his way towards the edge of the penalty area, but the referee decides that the Belgian has not been fouled around 20 yards from goal. It looked like he had been.

21 minThe crowd are starting to get into this game now. They have watched their side come through a difficult period at the start of the contest, and the Hornets are now beginning to match their opponents.

19 minWatford win a free kick from the right, and the set piece goes all the way through to Sema at the back post. The summer signing initially fails to make contact, but the second attempt leads to an easy claim for Arrizabalaga.

17 minThe incident involving Kabasele has only helped his side because Chelsea have now lost their rhythm. It will be interesting to see if they are able to get it back.

16 minSUBSTITUTION! Nope - he can't continue. Fair play to him for giving it a go! Kabasele is replaced by Mariappa.

13 minPlay has continued with Kabasele still receiving treatment on the sidelines, but the defender is back on his feet and able to continue, somehow!

11 minWatford have a big problem with Kabasele. The centre-back attempted to divert Willian's shot away from goal, but he only proceeded to slide into the post, with his back making the hardest contact. The stretcher is out and I would be very surprised if he continues in this contest.

OFF THE POST!

10 minChelsea go straight up the other end and hit the post! Willian is played through on goal and takes the ball past Foster but from an acute angle, the Brazilian struck the outside of the post.

9 minMassive let-off for Chelsea. Arrizabalaga kicks the ball straight at Deulofeu inside the area, but the Watford player's backheel towards a teammate does not pay off and Chelsea survive.

7 minI'd go as far as saying that Watford have looked off the pace. Doucoure has just been dispossessed by Pedro within 35 yards of his own goal, but the Blues did nothing with the ball after that.

5 minMore of the same from the visitors without the end product. Watford have been very watchful since kickoff, but I'm sure that will change.

SHOT!

3 minIt has been a bright start from Chelsea who are spraying the ball around with confidence, and a lengthy period of possession ends with Pedro curling a 20-yard strike marginally wide of the post.

KICKOFF:

1 minWatford get us underway.

7.28pmA reminder of the two starting lineups... WATFORD XI: Foster; Femenia, Cathcart, Kabasele, Holebas; Sema, Doucoure, Capoue, Pereyra; Deulofeu, Deeney CHELSEA XI: Arrizabalga; Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Alonso; Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic; Pedro, Willian, Hazard

7.26pmIt's time for the two teams to start making their way out at Vicarage Road. The home ground of the Hornets is rocking for this game, and you get the feeling that Chelsea are going to have put in a much-improved performance to get anything from this contest.

7.24pmChelsea will be pleased that Arsenal have dropped points on the South coast, but the Gunners have still moved a point ahead of the Blues in the table. The results earlier today have left Watford in ninth place, but a draw tonight takes the Hornets into eighth with a win being enough for seventh by the end of the day.

7.22pmRESULT! The full-time whistle has gone at the Amex Stadium and Brighton & Hove Albion have earned a share of the spoils against Arsenal. Click here to read our on-the-whistle match report.

7.20pmFourteen of those matches have taken place since the start of the new Millennium, and Chelsea had put together a 13-game unbeaten streak heading into last season's corresponding fixture. Watford ran riot against the Blues back in February and managed to prevail by a 4-1 scoreline.

7.18pmHEAD TO HEAD! The encounter on Boxing Day will represent just the 34th competitive clash between the sides, with Chelsea registering 17 wins in comparison to 10 victories for Watford.

7.16pmPREDICTION! Watford have had no problem scoring goals this season, nor have they managed to put together a run of clean sheets. That should make for an entertaining spectacle and with Chelsea needing a positive response after the setback against Leicester, we expect the teams to share the spoils in a 2-2 draw.

7.14pmMaybe it was a coincidence that Barkley looked a bit fed up. Maybe not...

The Blues have arrived! ðŸ‘Œ

Looking focused and ready to go! #WATCHE pic.twitter.com/8mXYfzFhy1

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 26, 2018

7.12pmHazard is undoubtedly Chelsea's key man and the Belgian is looking to become just the 10th Blues player to reach 100 goals in all competitions. One goal will take him to that total this evening.

7.10pmHowever, Chelsea have put together a phenomenal streak on Boxing Day. They are undefeated in their last 13 encounters!

7.08pmChelsea are also looking to avoid a second game without finding the back of the net. That has not happened since April 2016

7.06pmChelsea went into Boxing Day sitting in fourth place in the standings, but the Blues have lost three of their last six games. Tottenham Hotspur, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester have all got the better of Sarri's men.

7.04pmThat said, Watford are finding goals easy to come by at the other end, and they are coming from various sources. Five players have three or more goals, and 11 players have chipped in with an assist.

7.02pmHowever, clean sheets for Watford have been a rarity at Vicarage Road this season. Just two have been registered in nine outings.

7.00pmWatford head into this game looking to register their best tally after 19 games in a top-flight campaign for the first time in 36 years! A win would take the club to 30 points.

6.58pmSeven Premier League matches have already been completed today. Miss any of the action? Click here to access our live scores section.

6.56pmGracia sounds confident about tonight's match...

ðŸ—£ï¸ | Javi Gracia says #watfordfc always feel confident playing in front of the home supporters.#WATCHE pic.twitter.com/U65OpRAxIz

— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) December 26, 2018

6.54pmCallum Hudson-Odoi has benefitted from the absence of Loftus-Cheek, but there is no Alvaro Morata despite his recovery from a knee injury.

6.52pmThe backline has remained the same with Gary Cahill and Emerson Palmieri being named on the bench. Andreas Christensen is absent as he continues to recover from a hamstring problem.

6.50pmBlues supporters would have also hoped to see either Ross Barkley or Ruben Loftus-Cheek, but Barkley is only named among the replacements and Loftus-Cheek is not involved at all. It means that Mateo Kovacic keeps his place in the team.

6.48pmSarri had been expected to make changes for the trip to Hertfordshire, but the Italian has instead decided to keep the same team. It means that Olivier Giroud has to make do with a place on the bench with Eden Hazard continuing in a false nine role.

6.46pmDomingos Quina could be used off the bench in the second half having impressed since his inclusion in the first-team squad, while Stefano Okaka is another option at a time when the forward may leave Vicarage Road in January.

6.44pmTom Cleverley is back to full fitness but the former England international is forced to make do with a place among the replacements. Nathaniel Chalobah does not feature in the 18-man squad against his former side.

6.42pmIsaac Success would have been another option for the Hornets, but Troy Deeney and Gerard Deulofeu will lead the line with Roberto Pereyra out on the left wing.

6.40pmWatford boss Javi Grica has opted to name the same starting lineup which began the game against West Ham United. It means that Gracia has resisted the temptation to include an extra central midfielder in his side with Ken Sema keeping his place on the flank.

6.38pmCHELSEA XI: Arrizabalga; Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Alonso; Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic; Pedro, Willian, Hazard CHELSEA SUBSTITUTES: Caballero, Cahill, Emerson, Fabregas, Barkley, Hudson-Odoi, Giroud

6.36pmWATFORD XI: Foster; Femenia, Cathcart, Kabasele, Holebas; Sema, Doucoure, Capoue, Pereyra; Deulofeu, Deeney WATFORD SUBSTITUTES: Gomes, Mariappa, Masina, Cleverley, Quina, Success, Okaka

6.34pmWithout further ado, let's take a look at the two starting lineups, beginning with the home side...

6.32pmLATEST! The game between Brighton & Hove Albion and Arsenal is just about to get back underway with the teams locked at 1-1. Click here if you would like to follow the second half of that contest.

6.30pmHello and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match in the Premier League between Watford and Chelsea. The visitors headed into Boxing Day sitting three positions and 10 points above their hosts, but there is an argument that the Hornets are in a better place heading into the encounter at Vicarage Road.

Live Commentary: Watford 1-2 Chelsea - as it happened

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