Match ends, Burnley 2, Watford 0.
BurnleyBurnley2WatfordWatford0
Burnley's record signing Jeff Hendrick scored his first goal for the club to help his side beat a lacklustre Watford in the Premier League.
The hosts had carried the greater threat and Hendrick headed in from a Steven Defour cross for the opener.
Troy Deeney had a rare Hornets shot saved before Defour crossed for Michael Keane to nod in a second for Burnley.
Isaac Success went close late on for Watford but the Clarets easily held on for a second league win of the season.
The victory moved Burnley level on seven points with Watford.
Andre who?
Burnley went into the game as this season's lowest scorers in the Premier League with three goals and without striker Andre Gray, who was starting a four-match ban for comments on social media.
However, with Sam Vokes as a lone target man up front they looked dangerous with their crosses into the striker before taking the lead when Defour sent in a corner for Hendrick's opener.
Midfielder Defour, who moved to Turf Moor for £8m in the summer, has already become an influential presence for the side and also provided the cross for Keane to score.
Defour has been involved in four of his side's five goals this season, scoring one and assisting three.
"I'm very pleased," said the Belgium international. "The work of the whole team means that I can bring this sort of game, which is what I was bought to do."
Defour will be key for Sean Dyche's side along with their home form, with 13 of Burnley's total of 17 Premier League wins coming at Turf Moor.
Hornets lack buzz
Watford beat Manchester United last time out but they were a different side on Monday as they managed just one effort on target in the first half, an Odion Ighalo header easily saved by keeper Tom Heaton.
The visitors might have thought Dean Marney was offside in the build-up to opener - and also thought Defour's delivery went out of play - but their defending still left plenty to be desired.
Right-back Juan Zuniga, who scored against United, replaced centre-back Craig Cathcart for the second half as Watford went from 3-5-2 to four at the back.
However, it did not result in a change of fortune as the home side extended their lead with a goal that meant the last seven Watford have conceded in the league have all come from from crosses.
Success added some much-needed energy for the visitors and they did mount some pressure late on - but by then the game had gone.
"It wasn't good enough," said Deeney. "We got bullied to a man all over the pitch. They won the first ball and the second ball."
Man of the match - Steven Defour
What they said:
Burnley manager Sean Dyche: "I thought we played very well in the first half and the early stages of the second and then we got a little bit nervous, but we never really looked like they were going to open us up."
On Andre Gray's four-match ban: "We are all a little disappointed, we think it is a tough one. I have always made it clear it is unacceptable and the player apologised straight away and made it clear he is in a different place now.
"We think the suspension will have an effect, but we believe in the group and what we do and the players we have got."
Watford boss Walter Mazzarri: "It was not good enough. I was hoping the players would come to the pitch with the same hunger and determination [as against Manchester United] - but they didn't. We will reflect.
"In English football it is difficult. Burnley were very aggressive - they also beat Liverpool."
The stats you need to know
- Burnley have conceded only five goals in their past 17 home league games.
- Watford have kept just one clean sheet in their past 17 Premier League games.
- Michael Keane netted his first Premier League goal in his 28th appearance in the division.
- The Hornets have now conceded a league-high five headed goals this season.
What next?
Watford are at home to Bournemouth on Saturday at 15:00 BST, while Burnley are in action a day later when they host Arsenal at 16:30 BST.
Line-ups
Burnley
Formation 4-5-1
- 1Heaton
- 2LowtonBooked at 45mins
- 5Keane
- 6Mee
- 23Ward
- 25GudmundssonSubstituted forKightlyat 90+3'minutes
- 13Hendrick
- 8Marney
- 16DefourSubstituted forArfieldat 83'minutes
- 21Boyd
- 9Vokes
Substitutes
- 4Flanagan
- 11Kightly
- 15Bamford
- 17Robinson
- 26Tarkowski
- 37Arfield
- 41O'Neill
Watford
Formation 5-3-2
- 1Gomes
- 7N AmrabatSubstituted forSuccessat 58'minutesBooked at 65mins
- 15CathcartSubstituted forZuñigaat 45'minutes
- 5Prödl
- 3Britos
- 25HolebasBooked at 37mins
- 37PereyraBooked at 22minsSubstituted forKenedyat 75'minutes
- 11Behrami
- 29Capoue
- 24Ighalo
- 9Deeney
Substitutes
- 4Kaboul
- 10Success
- 12Kenedy
- 17Guédioura
- 18Zuñiga
- 23Watson
- 30Pantilimon
- Referee:
- Mike Jones
- Attendance:
- 18,519
Match Stats
Home TeamBurnleyAway TeamWatford
- Possession
- Home43%
- Away57%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away12
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away2
- Corners
- Home7
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away15
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Burnley 2, Watford 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Isaac Success (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Troy Deeney.
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Foul by Odion Ighalo (Watford).
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Ben Mee (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Burnley. Michael Kightly replaces Johann Berg Gudmundsson.
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Sebastian Prödl (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Scott Arfield (Burnley).
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Isaac Success (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Matthew Lowton (Burnley).
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Foul by Kenedy (Watford).
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Jeff Hendrick (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt blocked. José Holebas (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Etienne Capoue.
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Corner, Watford. Conceded by Scott Arfield.
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Attempt blocked. Etienne Capoue (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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José Holebas (Watford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Scott Arfield (Burnley).
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Attempt missed. Valon Behrami (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right following a corner.
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Corner, Watford. Conceded by Ben Mee.
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Attempt blocked. Isaac Success (Watford) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is blocked. Assisted by Troy Deeney.
Comments
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Burnley may just about survive by making Turf Moor a difficult place to come and all you haters, save it for your non performing bigger clubs. No wonder our national teams dire.
As to it being "awful".... I've lost count of the number of awful games featuring the likes of Man U v Chelsea and so on. Such "big" games are always talked up as 'classics' - but they hardly ever are classic. In fact they're rarely any better to watch than this one was!!
This game was a really good example of footy played as it should be played.
The Clarets showed once again that thei spirit and togetherness can defeat the teams who cling on to the premiership more by money than by skill.
Bring on Mr Wenger and his overblown internationalswhatever the outcome the Clarets will never surrender until the final whistle blows..
Grey suspension appears a bit harsh.
Assume you missed the game on Sunday then? Saints ripped West Ham apart with some sublime attacking play. WHU, whilst not on your list were very dull, ironically. You'll struggle for a better attacking side than Saints out of all the teams you've excluded. Most of your suggested replacements are laughable.
Shame I didn't get to make the twelftyeth comment :-(
Both teams are in the top flight on merit. Burnley finding their feet and Watford discovering Turf Moor on a cold wet Tuesday night is perhaps the last place they would like to be.
As for poor viewing, I have seen much worse. West Brom serve up boredom by the season ticket and there's been poor fare watching better teams regular
Awful game though. Watford were woeful. Hard to believe this was the same side that spanked West Ham and beat Man Utd. Hopefully just a blip for them though.
Clubs like Burnley, Watford, West Brom and other play an important role in the league and effect the final results.
If you want just super league football just stick to last rounds of CL.
You should do what Burnley and Watford fans do - support your local team.
@54 - was that the West Ham game?
Sadly Watford weren't at their best today and well played Burnley. A surprisingly tough opposition as Liverpool also found out. Should potentially survive.
Shame Man U fans are coming on this HYS. Aren't there 20 HYS for them you can all disappear on.
A real case of after the Lord's Mayor show and quite predictable TBH..