Watford 0-3 Leeds United
Watford’s last meeting with Leeds took place so long ago that the Hornets were still being managed by Xisco Muñoz.
Hodgson has actually been the manager of as many Premier League clubs (six) as Marsch has Premier League matches but the veteran would surely be happy to swap places with him now.
For the Hornets’ top flight safety is hanging by a thread, while Leeds are all but safe after this result.
Of course, the owners of Watford have much to answer for after their constant chop-change approach of bosses and, more than any manager, should be blamed for what is almost certainly now to become a second relegation in three years for the Hertfordshire club.
Highlights of the game
This home defeat was not down to a lack of effort, more a lack of composure when it mattered as Leeds countered the Hornets’ sting.
Hodgson was able to pick from a fully fit squad and kept faith with the side beaten at Liverpool last weekend as Joao Pedro kept his place up front with Emmanuel Dennis on the bench.
Leeds made one change to the team that drew 1-1 at home to Southampton last time out as Robin Koch came into midfield in place of Adam Forshaw.
The visitors were still without last season’s top scorer Patrick Bamford, Junior Firpo, Jamie Shackleton and Tyler Roberts.
Watford, who have been better organised under Hodgson than earlier in the campaign, started brightly and went within inches of taking the lead from an Imran Louza free-kick before Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier pushed away a Cucho Hernandez header.
Failure to net the opener was to prove costly though as the talent surely destined to be named Leeds’ player of the season, Raphinha, showed his class 20 minutes in when Dan James took advantage of a hashed clearance and the Brazilian did the rest with a superbly executed shot from outside the penalty area for his 10th goal of the campaign.
If that was a blow for Watford, they suffered another soon afterwards when Hernandez had to leave the fray with a suspected hamstring injury
Into the second half and it was more of the same as Ismaila Sarr raced clear but shot wide and, within minutes of that missed opportunity, another defensive error ended the game as a contest as club record signing Rodrigo nipped in and rounded Ben Foster before tapping into an unguarded net.
Along with Raphinha, Jack Harrison has been responsible for most of Leeds’ Premier League highlights this term and he continued his fine form five minutes from time with a fine angled strike from the edge of the penalty area.
After six defeats in a row which led to the sacking of Marcelo Bielsa, Leeds have turned over a new leaf in the last month and now have breathing space between them and the bottom four.
For Watford, the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds make grim reading and they remain bafflingly bad at Vicarage Road. Indeed, in the home table they are bottom, with only seven points from 15 games.
That is surely only go to end one way.
Key statistics
Rodrigo’s goal was the 500th conceded by Watford in the history of the Premier League.
Harrison now has three goals in three games.
Leeds have won all three of their top-flight matches against Watford, having done the double the only other time they were in the top tier together in 1999-2000.
Leeds are unbeaten in four successive Premier League fixtures for the first time this season.
Watford have lost their past nine home Premier League matches. The last time they lost nine consecutive home league games was between December 1971 and March 1972.
Watford’s 12 home losses are the most of any Premier League team this season.
The Hornets are also on a Premier League record run of 20 consecutive home games without a clean sheet, stretching back to a 3-0 victory against Liverpool on 29 February 2020.
Raphinha’s 10 goals are the most in the Premier League for Leeds this season, although this was only his second goal in 13 top flight matches in 2022.
What’s next?
Watford entertain Brentford on Easter Saturday (April 16) before a trip to champions Manchester City the following weekend, Leeds, meanwhile, have more than a fortnight without a game now ahead of going to Crystal Palace on April 25 and welcoming City to Elland Road five days later.
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