Troy Deeney penalties hand Watford vital win over Newcastle
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ByEurosport
Updated 11/07/2020 at 15:58 GMT
Premier League, Vicarage Road – Watford 2 (Deeney 52 pen, 82 pen) Newcastle 1 (Gayle 23)
Troy Deeney celebrates
Image credit: Getty Images
Nigel Pearson further strengthened his reputation as a relegation specialist as he saw his side come back from behind again to take all three points as Watford downed Newcastle United 2-1.
When Pearson took over at the Hertfordshire club in January they were nine points off safety, but under his guidance they have climbed out of the relegation zone and now find themselves six points clear of Bournemouth who play Leicester City on Sunday evening.
For Steve Bruce's travelling Newcastle United side, it was a chance to regain some pride after being thumped 5-0 by Manchester City midweek. And it was the North East side that started the game brightest with Allan Saint-Maximin early on causing all sorts of problems with his pace and tricky.
Despite starting the game slowly and being sloppy in possession, Watford still looked dangerous on the counter attack and after Danny Welbeck picked up a loose ball in the middle of the pitch he played it out to Will Hughes, who linked up well with the overlapping Kiko Femina. His cross found Welbeck in the box, whose volley was tipped on to the post by Martin Dubravka. The replays showed the ball was inches away from crossing the line.
But it was Newcastle who took the lead after twenty minutes, Matt Richie's corner was headed on by the towering Fernandez, his flick on found Dwight Gayle who had the simple task of prodding it into the back of the net.
Pearson's side came out for the second half brightly and soon found themselves on level terms after Matt Richie collided with Femenia after he burst into the box. Troy Deeney stepped up to take the resulting penalty and fired it home.
It was another defensive error that let Newcastle down. Ismaila Sarr, who was proving far more effective in the second half, was brought down by Javi Manquillo inside the box, giving referee Craig Pawson an easy decision to award another penalty.
Up stepped Troy Deeney who held his nerve again to rifle home his second goal of the game, sending Watford six points clear of the relegation zone.
TALKING POINT
Penalties cost Newcastle. Before the game Newcastle United hadn't conceded a penalty all season. But two clumsy defensive errors from Matt Richie and Javi Manquillo allowed Watford back into the game and ultimately cost their side all three points.
PLAYER RATINGS
Watford: Foster 8, Femenía 6, Kabasele 6, Dawson 7, Masina 6, Capoue 7, Hughes 7, Sarr 8, Doucoure 6, Welbeck 7, Deeney 9. Subs: Gray N/A, Cleverley N/A
Newcastle United: Dubravka 6, Manquillo 5, Lascelles 6, Fernández 6, Rose 6, Saint-Maximin 7, Schär 7, Shelvey 7, Ritchie 6, Almiron 6, Gayle 7. Subs: Lazaroat N/A, Krafthat N/A, Joelinton, Bentaleb N/A
MAN OF THE MATCH
Troy Deeney (Watford): The Watford captain had said before the game that his performances since the restart hadn't been good enough, but his composure to convert both penalties proved exactly why he's integral to the side's Premier League survival bid.
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Troy Deeney of Watford in action with Jamaal Lascelles of Newcastle
Image credit: Getty Images
KEY MOMENTS
16' - SO CLOSE! Danny Welbeck shot almost crosses the line after near post volley. Watford are looking dangerous on the counter attack
23' - GOAL! Watford 1-0 Newcastle. From the resulting corner Gayle prods the ball over the line after the ball is flicked on from a Fernández header
51' - PENALTY! Kiko Femenía draws a foul from Richie who dives in and the ref points at the spot
52' - GOAL! Watford 1-1 Newcastle. Troy Deeney beats Dubravka from the spot. He put his foot right through the ball and down the middle of the goal
67' - OFFSIDE RESCUES WATFORD! A smart pass from Schar as he takes a quick free kick, picking out Saint-Maximin who guides the ball into the back of the net but he's adjudged to be fractionally offside
80' - ANOTHER PENALTY! Watford win another penalty as Manquillo wraps his arms around Sarr who goes down in the box. Awful play by the defender
82' - GOAL! Watford 2-1 Newcastle. Deeney grabs is second of the day. He blasts it again past Dubravka who can do very little to stop it
KEY STATS
- Before the break, Newcastle’s 29 Premier League games this season had seen just 2.3 goals-per-game (F25 A41), the third lowest average in the division. Since the restart, their five games have seen 3.8 goals scored on average (F10 A9)
- Troy Deeney has scored 16 of Watford's 23 penalty goals in the Premier League - the remaining seven are split amongst seven different players
- Dwight Gayle failed to score in 12 Premier League appearances in 2019-20 before the enforced break, but has scored three goals in five appearances since the restart from only four total shots. Clinical.
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