THE fact Watford won against such a strong Wolves team was impressive enough.
The manner in which the Hornets achieved their latest three points must have struck terror into their relegation rivals.
Watford saw off Wolves to keep up their brilliant run of resultsCredit: Reuters
Nigel Pearson’s players didn’t just dig deep to grind out this welcome win which made it 10 points from their last four games.
They chased and harried and fought and scratched for every yard of Vicarage Road with the new-found fervour of true believers.
Pearson took over a Watford side which had only won once in 15 games and were six points adrift at the foot of the table when he was appointed.
In his five games in charge he has made the Watford Gap disappear!
When VAR ref Simon Hooper over-ruled Andrew Madeley’s decision to show Christian Kabasele a yellow card for pulling back Diogo Jota – and instructed the ref to upgrade it to a red – it looked ominous for Pearson’s boys.
The Wolves sub burst on to a Raul Jimenez flick and was clearly grabbed by Kabasele before hitting the deck with the match in the balance at 2-1.
Madeley’s initial leniency cut no ice with the Stockley Park brigade, who were in his ear pronto to inform him to carry out his duty and administer a red card to the defender.
Watford put Wolves to the sword to aid their relegation fightCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Reduced to 10 men for the last 22 minutes, against a Wolves side who smelled blood, having hauled themselves back into the game with a Pedro Neto goal eight minutes earlier, Watford’s backs were against the wall.
At any other time this season they would have buckled and Wolves would have ripped them to shreds.
But Pearson’s dogged determination seems to have rubbed off on his new team, who simply refused to lay down and die.
Deep into five minutes of injury time his weary defenders surrounded Adama Traore and managed to win a foul, which was greeted like a goal.
The relief when the final whistle finally sounded was palpable – especially for Nathaniel Chalobah.
The midfielder seized up suffering from cramp and had to be treated by team-mate Craig Cathcart on the pitch.
Last month the only leg-pulling here was done by anyone suggesting Watford would avoid the drop!
However Pearson rescued Leicester from the drop when they were seven points from safety back in 2015 – clearly his Watford players believe he is capable of pulling off another Great Escape.
Wolves hit back but could not find an equaliserCredit: Reuters
Since losing his opening game at Anfield, Pearson has beaten Manchester United, drawn at Sheffield United and stuffed Aston Villa 3-0, despite playing with 10-men for part of the game.
They won again here when one man down to underline their refusal to feel sorry for themselves.
Pearson has already earned three points more than Quique Sanchez Flores managed in his 10 games in charge this season – with three times as many wins.
After surviving a couple of early scares, most notably when Jimenez fired wide after 16 minutes, Watford gradually gained the upper hand.
When they took the lead on the half hour it was no surprise who did the damage.
Gerard Deulofeu had wrecked Wolves’ hopes of a first FA Cup final appearance for 59 years last April with a double at Wembley.
He struck again when Leander Dendoncker’s sloppy pass was pounced on by Ismaila Sarr, who slipped the ball through to the Spaniard who opened up his body and swept a right footed shot beyond Rui Patricio to open the scoring.
Moments earlier Pedro Neto had been booked for hooking his leg around Craig Dawson in the penalty box, as VAR agreed with Madeley that the Wolves winger had initiated contact deliberately.
The Portuguese forward should have levelled just after the break but sent his shot into the side netting.
Watford made him pay a heavy price when they went 2-0 up in their next raid as Wolves again hit the self-destruct button.
This time Jimenez surrendered possession cheaply and Deulofeu seized the loose ball and fed Abdoulaye Doucoure who slammed his shot beyond Patricio with the help of a deflection off Conor Coady’s thigh.
It was the perfect way to celebrate his birthday. But Wolves made him and his teammates sweat by pulling a goal back on the hour.
Joao Moutinho fed Neto who burst forward and unleashed a powerful shot which flew off Kabasele and spiralled over the helpless Ben Foster.
Things got worse for Kabasele when he was given his marching orders eight minutes later but he was spared by his battling teammates who refused to run up the white flag.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
