Watford earned a crucial victory in their quest for Europa League qualification as a stoppage time winner from substitute Andre Gray gave the Hornets all three points against Leicester City and their newly-appointed manager Brendan Rodgers.
The home side got off to the perfect start when Troy Deeney’s header sent them into the lead just five minutes in, but Jamie Vardy equalised with 15 minutes of regulation time to play. The game looked to be petering out for a draw, however Gray notched in the closing stages to grant Watford their third win in four league games.
The result at Vicarage Road sees the Hornets climb to level on points with Wolverhampton Wanderers — though still behind their rivals for the final European place on goal difference — while Leicester remain in 11th.
Story of the game
Watford started the brighter of the two sides and pushed their opponents on the back foot, with Kasper Schmeichel expertly saving Adrian Mariappa’s close-range shot before Jonny Evans did equally well to block Gerard Deulofeu’s follow-up.
However, the breakthrough came after just five minutes when Deulofeu’s whipped delivery was met by the head of Deeney — there was nothing Schmeichel could do on that occasion.
Just inside the 20-minute mark, Leicester fashioned a good chance to even the scores. Wing-back Ricardo Pereira switched the ball for his teammate on the opposite side, Ben Chilwell, who squared across goal for James Maddison to strike. The effort deflected off Harvey Barnes and failed to trouble Ben Foster in the Watford goal.
Deulofeu occupied a second-striker role behind Deeney but showed up free in numerous spaces all over the attacking third of the pitch, his movement seemingly impossible for the Leicester defence to track. The Spaniard found himself in space on the left wing and cut onto his stronger foot to take aim at goal, but it proved a tame effort and an easy save for Schmeichel.
Leicester enjoyed a substantial period of possession in the middle of the first-half. They kept the ball well and pinned their opponents back near their own goal but lacked the incisiveness needed for a defence-splitting pass and often panicked when exposed to the Hornets’ aggressive pressing.
The away side believed they should have won a penalty as half-time edged closer, as the ball appeared to strike Mariappa on the arm in a crowded Watford box. However, the Jamaican had his back to play and could not conceivably have prevented the contact, and the claims were rightly waved away.
After the restart, it was the Hornets who had the next chance to score. They worked the ball well around the Leicester penalty area and teed up Abdoulaye Doucouré to take aim from the edge of the box, however Schmeichel was equal to the Frenchman’s powerful strike.
On the hour mark, Maddison showed good footwork to open up space for himself about 20 yards from goal but opted against shooting, and his attempted through ball for Vardy was cut out by Craig Cathcart.
Leicester finally equalised in the 75th minute — given their domination of possession and gradual increase in chances created, it had been coming. Youri Tielemans coasted past four players before setting up Vardy, who found rare space in behind the Watford defence and used the outside of his foot to curl the ball past the onrushing Foster.
Ten minutes later, the Foxes could have taken the lead as Vardy’s replacement, Kelechi Iheanacho, was sent through on goal. The Nigerian initially missed the ball but capitalised on a slip from José Holebas to earn a second bite at the cherry, however his attempted through ball was too heavy for Maddison to receive.
Maddison was involved again in the final minute of regulation time. The Englishman bent a cross into the back post where Wes Morgan was lurking, however the centre-back failed to head at goal. A gilt-edged opportunity missed, and it would prove fatal for the Foxes.
Watford attacked at the other end, winning the ball back after a poor pass out from Schmeichel. Eventually, Deeney played a lofted pass into the feet of Gray, whose first-touch set him up perfectly to fire a left-footed finish home. The roof came off Vicarage Road, yet amid the ecstasy was anguish for Rodgers and his Leicester side.
Takeaways from the match
Substitute Gray delivers the goods
Three weeks ago, Watford and Everton were edging towards a goalless draw before Gray was introduced onto the field. It proved a masterstroke decision from Javi Gracia, as the former Burnley striker notched a crucial winner for his side.
It was as if the script had been copied and pasted for the visit of Leicester. Gray replaced Deulofeu and instantly began to cause havoc for an otherwise stout Foxes defence with his pace and intelligent movement.
Above all else, he took his goal impeccably well, immaculately controlling a lofted ball from his strike-partner, Deeney, before powering through the legs of Schmeichel. The 27-year old has consistently proved to have valuable impact off the bench in recent weeks, but will now be hoping to earn a start in the near future.
Clinical nature the only missing component for Rodgers and Leicester
Overall, this was a positive performance to begin Rodgers’ reign. Leicester kept the ball well, and the deployment of Pereira and Chilwell as wing-backs meant that the Foxes were never short of an option to pass into the space.
The problem facing the Northern Irishman ahead of his new challenge at the King Power Stadium is making their possession count. Former manager Claude Puel was lambasted and dealt the axe by fans for his unambitious yet possession-based style of football — Rodgers cannot afford to encounter the same issues.
Vardy’s goal came from one of the few incisive pieces of play that Leicester produced. Tielemans drove at the Watford defence and instinctively fed the Englishman whose finish was also a product of inclination rather than calculation, something Leicester certainly lacked in an otherwise respectable showing.
Up next
Watford face a daunting challenge in their next game as they travel to title-chasers Manchester City.
Meanwhile, Leicester host a struggling Fulham side.