Premier League
Watford
Dec 5, 2015 3.00pm
2
0
HT : 1 0
FT
Norwich
  • Troy Deeney 29' goal
  • Troy Deeney 56' yellowcard
  • Ben Watson 60' yellowcard
  • Odion Ighalo 91' goal
  • Odion Ighalo 92' yellowcard
  • yellowcard Alexander Tettey 29'
  • yellowcard Ryan Bennett 76'
  • yellowcard Robbie Brady 87'

Live Commentary: Watford 2-0 Norwich City - as it happened

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Watford 2-0 Norwich City - as it happened
© Getty Images

Watford welcomed Norwich City to Vicarage Road looking for back-to-back Premier League victories for the second time this season.

After a slow start, Quique Flores saw his side take the lead from the penalty spot as Troy Deeney fired home to become the first Watford player ever to score in four consecutive Premier League games.

Norwich City barely threatened the hosts, and were condemned to defeat when Odion Ighalo held off the challenge of Sebastien Bassong and grabbed his side's second goal deep into second-half injury time.

Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by-minute live commentary below.

4.59pmFor now though, that's it from me. Thank you for joining me for what was great game - in the end - at Vicarage Road. I'll leave you with the updated Premier League table, and be sure to check out our match report from today's game.

4.58pmIghalo and Deeney embodied everything Watford do best. They worked their socks of all afternoon, but they also both have a touch of quality, and if Flores can keep those two fit and firing then the Hornets should have no trouble staying in the Premier League. For Norwich City, though, it's their sixth defeat in their last eight Premier League games, and they really need to start getting some points on the board if they are to avoid being dragged into a relegation fight.

4.55pmWatford make it back to back wins in the Premier League thanks to goals from the deadly duo of Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo, and it was no less than the Hornets deserved. Norwich City were second best for the whole game, and barely troubled Heurelho Gomes all afternoon.

4.54pmFULL TIME: Watford 2-0 Norwich City

94 minSUBSTITUTION! Odion Ighalo, who has been fantastic this afternoon, goes off to a standing ovation and is replaced by Adlene Guedioura as Watford run out the clock.

91 minWell now they are! Deeney plays Ighalo through for the umpteenth time in the last 30 minutes, and Ighalo again holds off Bassong and bursts into the box, before sliding the ball under Rudd. Game, set and match.

91 minGOAL! Watford 2-0 Norwich City (Odion Ighalo)

90 minSix minutes to be added on here...

88 minGomes, who has had virtually nothing to do this afternoon, has to be alert to beat away a low Graham Dorrans effort from 20 yards. Norwich still aren't out of this, somehow.

88 minPENALTY APPEAL! Ighalo wants a penalty as he rolls Bassong and falls in the box, but he's the only one as Mike Dean dismisses his appeals. Seemed to just lose his footing.

87 minBOOKING! Robbie Brady wins the ball from Almen Abdi, but goes into the book for a little bit of afters.

86 minA long punt into the Watford box is missed by Ben Watson, and falls to Brady who hits a shot towards goal that is blocked behind by Ake.

85 minGomes appears to have hurt himself in clearing that Brady free kick. He's down on his knees and shaking his head as the Watford physios come on.

84 minIt's slowed down a touch, and now Norwich have a free kick from just inside the Watford half, which again Brady sizes up. He aims for the box, but Gomes punches clear.

81 minIghalo could have scored twice there in a breathless few minutes. Norwich are hanging on right now, thanks mainly to two fine stops from Declan Rudd, who is in the side today in the place of the dropped John Ruddy, remember.

80 minCHANCE! It's another great chance for Watford as Igahlo bullies his way past Bassong and shoots low, which Rudd just turns behind. Looked like Bassong pulled him back there, too, and had he gone down Mike Dean would have had a real decision to make.

78 minSUBSTITUTION! Alex Neil makes his final change as Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe comes on for Howson.

78 minCHANCE! Rudd is down to make a smart stop from Ighalo at the near post from Ake's cross.

77 minSUBSTITUTION! Almen Abdi comes on for Jurado.

76 minBOOKING! Ryan Bennett is beaten all ends up by Ighalo and brings him down in desperation, earning a yellow for his troubles.

75 minInto the final 15 minutes here at Vicarage Road and Norwich aren't out of this, but you wouldn't rule out a second for Norwich either.

74 minSUBSTITUTION! Ikechi Anya is withdrawn in place of Juan Carlos Paredes for Watford.

73 minCHANCE! Deeney punts another high ball into the Norwich box, taking advantage of the windy conditions, and Ighalo benefits from some real indecision among the Norwich defenders to bring the ball down and drill an effort across the face of goal. Close.

71 minCameron Jerome's first contribution is to get caught offside somewhat carelessly as Norwich poured forward. It's really open now this game, which won't please the Hornets and their fans. You wouldn't bet against Norwich salvaging something here if they can get their act together.

70 minThat's a worrying sight for Watford fans. Troy Deeney is wincing in pain and holding his right foot. Looks liked he just twisted it as he was caught by Wisdom. I'll keep an eye on that for you.

68 minIn the latest episode of Robbie Brady's Jekyll and Hyde free kick delivery, he's back to not beating the first man as Nyom easily heads his set piece from wide on the left clear. Bassong and Wisdom, who'd both gone forward for that one, don't look happy.

67 minSUBSTITUTION! And here's that change for the Canaries as Cameron Jerome comes on for Lewis Grabban.

65 minCHANCE! Deeney loops a ball over the top for Ighalo, who stands Bassong up and drills an effort at the near post, but Rudd gets everything behind it. It's a much better second half here at Vicarage Road.

64 minThe game is getting really stretched here. Can Norwich exploit it? You sense Alex Neil is going to make another change to try and capitalise.

63 minCHANCE! Out of nothing Capoue slides a glorious, defence-splitting through ball to Ighalo, but Rudd is out quickly and makes a great save from Ighalo's flicked effort. Could have been 2-0 there.

61 minCHANCE! Brady's delivery from the resulting free kick is much better than his last effort as he curls a ball across the six yard box that falls for Mbokani at the back post, but he can't quite control it and Gomes is quick to claim the ball with some brave goalkeeping at the Norwich striker's feet.

60 minBOOKING! Ben Watson follows Troy Deeney into the book as he brings down Martin Olsson with a mistimed sliding tackle.

59 minBrady plays an early cross for Dieumerci Mbokani, but it's just too high for the substitute. It's opening up a bit this game.

58 minNathan Ake, who is back up and running as if nothing happened despite looking like he was out for the count just a few minutes ago after a nasty fall, receives the ball at the end of a tidy Watford move, but his effort from the edge of the box is high and wide.

56 minBOOKING! Troy Deeney takes one for the team as he stops a Norwich break with a fairly blatant foul on Robbie Brady on the half-way line.

55 minCHANCE! Straight down the other end, Jurado robs Howson and plays a through ball to Ighalo, who is under heavy pressure from Bassong but holds off the challenge for long enough to bundle a shot towards goal, that's turned behind for a corner, which comes to nothing.

55 minCathcart bumps Grabban over on the left touchline and Norwich have another free kick. Brady takes aim, but it's a poor cross and Nyom - the first man - clears with ease. Disappointing for Norwich.

52 minHe's clearly made of tough stuff is Nathan Ake. He turns down the stretcher, and is off the field for moments before jogging back on as is he'd just stubbed his toe. We're back in action, here.

50 minCredit to the Watford medical team, who are on the pitch and treating Ake in seconds. He's moving, which is good to see, but that was a hell of a whack, first when Wisdom went through him then again when he hit the floor.

49 minDorrans plays the ball to Brady down the left, who swings a cross towards the back post, where Wisdom arriving late clatters through Ake and heads towards goal, but Gomes holds on with ease. There's concern for Ake though who fell really awkwardly, landing on his neck.

47 minCHANCE! Ryan Bennett hacks a ball clear and the wind carries it all the way to Brady, who is loitering on the edge of the Watford box. He's got time to take a touch, but elects instead to shoot first-time, and drags his shot low and wide of the far post. He should have done better with that, really.

45 minKICKOFF! Norwich get us back underway at a very dark and blustery Vicarage Road.

4.02pmSUBSTITUTION! Alex Neil makes a change as Nathan Redmond is replaced by Dieumerci Mbokani for the second half.

4.02pmSo the second half is coming up here at Vicarage Road. Can Watford keep their fine run of form going, or will Norwich City fight back and take something here?
© Getty Images

4.00pmLet's have a quick look around the Premier League. Arsenal are being held to a 1-1 draw by Sunderland, while Aston Villa are ahead at St Mary's through Joleon Lescott, so the sides at the bottom of the table are having a good afternoon so far. Leicester City show no sign of letting up as Riyad Mahrez has scored twice to put the Foxes 2-0 ahead against Swansea City, while Manchester United's game with West Ham United at Old Trafford remains goalless, and West Bromwich Albion have recovered from conceding an early goal to go in level at 1-1 at the break, thanks to James McClean's equaliser.

3.57pmSo if you're a Norwich City fan, what hope is there for the second half? Well, Robbie Brady has tried to make things happen, and Lewis Grabban is working hard up top, albeit with very limited service. But it's just the Canaries are just one goal behind, so this game is far from over, and with the wind as powerful and unpredictable as it is here at Vicarage Road, anything could happen. There's no reason to throw in the towel just yet. Alex Neil's side need a good start to the second half, though.

3.55pmAlex Tettey is having the kind of afternoon he'd rather just forget. Back in the side and with the captain's armband on, he was robbed of possession in the build up to Watford's goal, then gave away the penalty. Since then, Watford have put him under pressure at every opportunity, mostly through the high pressing of Ighalo and Deeney, and Tettey really doesn't look comfortable. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if he didn't come back out for the second half.

3.53pmI've just seen a couple more replays of that Ighalo disallowed goal, and he probably is just onside, but my word it's a tight call, and you really can't blame the assistant referee for ruling that one out. It's so, so close. Ighalo has been really lively though, and almost did score in the final minutes of the first half with a smart effort that was well saved by Declan Rudd.

3.51pmEtienne Capoue, meanwhile, has been at the heart of everything the Hornets have done. He really does get them playing. He forced the opener that came through Deeney from the penalty spot, and carved out the Ighalo's goal, which was controversially disallowed.

3.50pmWell it took a little while for Quique Sanchez Flores's side to get going here at Vicarage Road, but once they did they've looked very good indeed. Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney have to be two of the hardest working forwards in the Premier League, but they've got a touch of class too.

3.48pmHALF TIME: Watford 1-0 Norwich City

45+1 minCHANCE! Norwich have a last roll of the dice in the first half as Ake blocks of Redmond under a high ball and the Canaries are awarded a free kick 30 yards out. Brady swings it in to the box and Bassong is there, unmarked, but he can only head wildly over the top of goal.

44 minCHANCE! Beautiful stuff. Ighalo puts Ryan Bennett on his backside with a glorious little dummy wide on the left edge of the box, and with that he's in on goal. This time Rudd is out quickly and makes a smart save at his near post. Two minutes to be added on here.

43 minSuperb from Watford. Norwich enjoy a rare spell of possession, but the second Tettey gets the ball Ighalo and Deeney are in his face, trying to force another error. He just gets rid of the ball, but the Watford duo keep pressing, and force a turnover. Great work.

40 minIt's another poor clearance from Rudd who hammers the ball straight at Capoue, who tries to slide a quick pass in to Anya, but he just overdoes it, and Rudd mops up.

39 minNot so good from Capoue this time, who has probably been the best player on the pitch so far, but he completely miscued an effort from 20 yards there, with it only just going for a goal kick rather than a throw in.

37 minDISALLOWED GOAL! It could be 2-0. Capoue dinks a delightful pass to Nyom at the back post from the edge of the area, and Nyom cushions a header back across goal where Ighalo smashes the ball past Rudd. Replays look very, very tight. He was possibly just on, there. Unlucky for the Hornets, who are very much on top now.

35 minNo sign of a quick recovery from Norwich, they look a bit shell-shocked at the moment. Tettey was perhaps lucky to only get booked for that challenge, too. Ighalo was all set to pull the trigger when Tettey brought him down.

31 minWith that goal, Troy Deeney has become the first Watford player to score in four straight Premier League matches.

30 minAlex Tettey will not want to see this again. Capoue forces him into an error, playing the ball to Ighalo in the Norwich box. In his desperation recover, Tettey slides in on Ighalo, sending him tumbling, and Mike Dean points to the spot, booking the Norwegian midfielder too. No complaints from Norwich, and Deeney steps up, firing high into the top right corner to put Watford ahead.

30 minGOAL! Watford 1-0 Norwich City (Troy Deeney - penalty)

29 minPENALTY TO WATFORD!

29 minCHANCE! Again, it's only a half chance, but it's the best move of the game. Nathan Ake gets some room down the left and crosses for Ighalo, but Rudd beats him to it.

27 minThere's a cheer from the crowd as Tettey clears the ball with an overhead kick. That's about all there's been to cheer so far though. Needs a goal this game.

25 minJonathan Howson robs Capoue in midfield and sets off on the break. He's got Grabban on the right and feeds him, but the attack loses it's pace and Watford recover. Pretty typical of the game so far, that. Still 0-0, and very little action at either end.

22 minOooooooh, I don't know about that! Ben Watson plays a little ball to Jose Manuel Jurado on the edge of the Norwich box, and the Spaniard flicks it beyond Wisdom, but the Norwich man blocks him off, preventing Jurado from bursting into the box. Mike Dean waves away Watford's appeals, but I'm not so sure. Wisdom will no doubt argue he couldn't get out of the way, but it looked a bit untidy.

19 minDeeney rakes a pass across midfield for Ikechi Anya on the diagonal, who is charging down the right touchline, but Olsson beats him to it and guides the ball out for a throw in. Still not an awful lot happening here, I'm afraid.

18 minPENALTY APPEAL! Nathan Ake leathers a shot at goal from 25 yards, it strikes Wisdom and there are some half-hearted penalty appeals, but Mike Dea waves them away. Right call, that, it was travelling so fast that Wisdom simply couldn't have got out of the way.

16 minThat wind comes to Norwich's aid there though as a Ryan Bennett clearance is caught on the breeze, allowing Grabban to scamper after it. He lays it off to Nathan Redmond, who charges to the byline, but his cross for the waiting Grabban is dealt with by Miguel Britos.

15 minVery bitty start to this game, with neither side stringing together much. The wind - which is really whipping around Vicarage Road - isn't helping matters, mind.

13 minNathan Ake finds Deeney with a throw in on the left, Deeney rolls his man and pulls it back for Ben Watson, whose shot from the edge of the box is deflected behind for a corner. Watson takes the corner himself, but it comes to nothing.

12 minOuch. Martin Olsson dispossess Allan Nyom, there's no foul but the Watford man goes down in a heap. Olsson charges up the left wing and finds Brady in the middle, but his return pass is over hit and the ball drifts out of play. Nyom gets up rather gingerly, and Troy Deeney has a quiet word in the ear of referee Mike Dean.

10 minCHANCE! Well, half chance. Grabban gets to the byline for the first time this afternoon thanks to a quickly taken throw down the right wing. He hangs up a high cross for Robbie Brady, but the £7m man mistimes his jump and can't direct his header goalwards. First sniff of goal for either side there.

9 minSebastien Bassong plays one long for Grabban but Craig Cathcart just about controls the situation, holding the Norwich striker off and hoofing the ball clear.

7 minAlexander Tettey plays it back to Declan Rudd, who is in the side in place of the dropped John Ruddy today, but he completely miss-hits his clearance to huge cheers from the Watford fans. Thankfully for the visitors, it just finds touch.

6 minCapoue is back on his feet and we're up and running again.

4 minAn early stoppage as Etienne Capoue and Graham Dorrans clash heads while contesting a high ball on half way. It's the Watford man who comes off worst, and is getting treatment on the field.

3 minNathan Ake gets penalised for a careless handball on the halfway line, giving the Canaries a free kick. Wisdom knocks it long for Lewis Grabban, but Etienne Capoue beats him to the ball and Watford clear their lines.

1 minWatford push forward down the left, but Andre Wisdom wins the ball on the edge of his own box and tries to set Nathan Redmond away down the right, but he's marshalled out of play.

1 minKICKOFF! Watford get us up and running, kick from left to right!

2.58pmThe players are streaming out on to the pitch - which looks in fine condition despite the bad weather - and we're about to get underway in the first ever Premier League encounter between Watford and Norwich City.

2.55pmThe players are lined up in Vicarage Road's compact tunnel and kick off is only minutes away...

2.54pmI can tell you the fans packed inside Vicarage Road look rather chilly this afternoon! Do the sensible thing and stick with me for coverage of the game from the comfort and warmth of somewhere indoors!

2.53pmYou can hear even more insight and opinion into today's game fresh from the Sports Mole sofa right here.

2.50pmPREDICTION: With kick off only about 10 minutes away it's time for a prediction! You might think I'd be tempted to go for (another) 3-0 to Norwich, but the reality is that Watford look a very decent Premier League side this season. With Ighalo and Deeney in such fine form I think the Hornets are sure to get among the goals, but with Norwich buoyed by their result against Arsenal and knowing they need points on the board to move away from danger, I think they'll get something from this game. I'm going for a 2-2 draw.

2.48pmLet me just take a minute to tell you that Stoke have hung on to beat Manchester City 2-0 in the day's early kick off. What a result that is, be sure to read Sports Mole's match report here.

2.46pmAnd here's one more! In all 33 previous meetings between the two sides, Norwich have 14 wins, while Watford have picked up 12 victories. So the history books say we're in for a close encounter, here.

2.45pmRight, kick off is edging ever closer, so let me give you some pre-game stats to have a think about. Watford have beaten Norwich just once in their last six matches, a narrow 3-2 win in 2010. The last top flight encounter between the two was back in the 1987-88 season, which finished 0-0.

2.43pmFor fans of both clubs who can't be at Vicarage Road today, let me give you a sneaky peak at the matchday programme...

2.41pm"We know the threat that Watford pose, and we will make sure we are set up to combat that, but also to have a threat going the other way. In recent weeks, we have been gradually improving. On Sunday [against Arsenal], we put a really good performance in."

2.39pmSo what's Norwich's boss been telling the press? Well let me tell you. "The performances haven't been reflected in the points that we have got, but ultimately it is about us making sure that we get those points, and Saturday is a great opportunity for us to do that," Neil said before today's game. I can't do the Scottish accent with a keyboard, though.

2.36pm"They have adapted really well to the Premier League this year. Sometimes you have to change something with respect to the style you use in the Premier League. If your team is very competitive, you can fight against every single team," Flores said. "Norwich in this moment are a very competitive team, they are very compact and they play with a strong block, so we need to think very well about what we want to do."

2.35pm"We know about the history last year for Norwich against Watford: they won at home, they won away," he told reporters at the press conference ahead of today's game. "They have a very good team and they played very well in the Championship last year, so we respect a lot this team a lot."

2.34pmLast season, when both of these sides were fighting for their eventual promotion in the Championship, Norwich twice sent Watford backing, with 3-0 wins home and away. It's something Flores has been quick to address.

2.31pmKEY MAN There were a few raised eyebrows back in the summer when Neil parted with £7m for Robbie Brady, but he's already proved his worth with a series of fine performances for the Canaries. His marauding runs down the left flank have been at the centre of many of Norwich's better results this season, and Watford's right-back will have to work hard to keep him in check today.
© Getty Images

2.29pmElsewhere, Norwich's Alex Tettey returns to action after a groin injury, and also takes the captain's armband. The bruising Norwegian is the Vinnie Jones of the Canaries side, you could say. Russell Martin misses out again, though, and on-loan winger Matt Jarvis remains sidelined with a knee injury.

2.27pmAnother interesting little nugget of football triv for you, and don't worry, this one isn't about the Spice Girls: with that goal, Grabban took his run to 24 of teams not losing matches he has scored in, dating back to a defeat in October 2013. An omen for Norwich fans? They'll be hoping so.

2.25pmLewis Grabban, who was suspended by the club in August for refusing to be a substitute in a League Cup tie at Rotherham United, returned to action and scored his side's goal in the draw with the Gunners. He keeps his place in Neil's side today. Can he make it two in two today?

2.23pmNorwich, on the other hand, have won only one of their last nine and sit precariously just three points above the relegation zone, some six points adrift of their opponents. Still, a spirited performance against Arsenal earned the Canaries a 1-1 draw last weekend, and there are some signs that Alex Neil's side are ready to turn the corner.

2.20pmThe man who has got Deeney and Ighalo firing is Quique Sanchez Flores. The former Spanish international has taken Watford to an impressive 11th place in the Premier League, making a mockery of many of those who tipped his side for an immediate return to the Premier League. But the former Atletico Madrid, Valencia and Getafe manager knows that nothing but Premier League safety will be good enough for his employer this season if he is to keep his job. After all, the notoriously trigger happy Gino Pozzo couldn't keep Slavisa Jokanovic at the club despite the fact he led them back to the top flight. Now that's a pressure job. Not like being in the Spice Girls, or Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

2.17pmA quick bit of research reveals other famous Watfordians include Geri Halliwell and Vinnie Jones, but I'm not sure that's a double act I'd like to see...

2.15pmAnd as for Deeney and Ighalo together? Well would you believe me if I told you the duo have combined to create 23 goal-scoring chances for each other in the BPL this season, more than any other pair? Well you should, because it's true. Without a doubt, the best double act to come out of Watford.

2.13pmKEY MAN Despite Deeney's fine form, there's no doubt as to who has been providing the sting in the Hornet's tail so far this season. Nigerian international Odion Ighalo has been lethal for Quique Sanchez Flores's side, grabbing a hugely impressive 8 goals in 14 Premier League appearances. So Stoke fans, you can keep your Arnautovic!
© Getty Images

2.11pmIf he does, by the way, he will become the first Watford player to score in four straight Premier League matches.

2.10pmAt the other end of the pitch, the Hornets' big striker Troy Deeney has taken a while to settle in the Premier League, but is hitting form at just the right time. The former Walsall forward has netted four goals in his last five Premier League games, can he keep that run going today?

2.08pmBack to goings on at Vicarage Road, and the big news for Watford fans is the return of goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes. Clouted in the 3-2 victory over Aston Villa last week, the Brazilian shot-stopper has recovered and takes his place between the posts.

2.06pmWell while you get your heads around that team news, let me just tell you that in the day's early game Stoke City are currently beating league leaders Manchester City 2-0, with both goals coming from Marko Arnautovic. Could today be the day for all sorts of Premier League upsets?

2.04pmNORWICH CITY SUBS: Ruddy, Martin, Mbokani, Jerome, Mulumbu, O'Neil, Odjidja

2.03pmNORWICH CITY STARTING XI: Rudd; Wisdom, Bennett, Bassong, Olsson; Redmond, Tettey, Dorrans, Brady; Howson; Grabban

2.03pmWATFORD SUBS: Arlauskis, Holebas, Paredes, Guedioura, Abdi, Diamanti, Oulare

2.02pmWATFORD STARTING XI: Gomes; Nyom, Britos, Cathcart, Ake; Capoue, Watson; Anya, Deeney, Jurado; Ighalo

2.00pmGood afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live text commentary for today's Premier League encounter between Watford and Norwich City at Vicarage Road. Thanks for joining me for what should be a very entertaining game. Let's get straight to the team news...
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